Illustrative image.
Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) are attempting to manufacture medium-range ballistic missiles modeled on an advanced Iranian weapon, using components traced to a Chinese supplier, according to a report published on October 14 by The Wall Street Journal.
The findings, based on an assessment by the weapons-monitoring organization Conflict Armament Research, point to an effort by the Houthis to expand domestic missile production and reduce their reliance on complete weapons systems supplied by Iran.
The proposed missile is modeled on Iran’s Kheibar Shekan, a solid-fuel, precision-guided ballistic missile with a reported range of up to 1,900 kilometers. Such a range would place all of Saudi Arabia and Israel within reach.
Yemeni authorities intercepted two shipments containing missile-related components in 2025 and provided information about them to Conflict Armament Research in July 2026, according to The Journal. The equipment was concealed among other commercial goods.
The seized materials included custom-made metal components for missile motors and airframes, flight-stabilizing fins, parts of solid-propellant rocket motors, and heat-resistant materials designed to protect sections of a missile from the extreme temperatures generated during flight. Authorities also recovered tools, testing equipment, and raw materials.
Shipping documents examined as part of the investigation linked the specialized components to an unnamed Chinese precision-metal manufacturer that advertises expertise in custom aerospace parts.
Some of the imported goods had potential civilian applications, while others were specifically designed for use in missiles.
The Kheibar Shekan was unveiled by Iran in 2022. It uses solid fuel, allowing for relatively rapid preparation for launch, and is designed to maneuver during the terminal phase of flight, complicating interception by air defenses.
Iran used the missile against United States military bases during fighting in the Middle East earlier this year, according to The Journal.
Chinese companies have become a major source of goods seized from shipments bound for the Houthis, according to data cited by the newspaper from United Nations reporting and weapons investigators. The supply networks include components that can be used in missiles and drones, as well as other dual-use equipment.
The investigation does not establish how far the Houthis have progressed toward producing a functional missile based on the Kheibar Shekan. It does, however, show that the Houthis are expanding their weapons-manufacturing capabilities and are no longer relying fully on Iran.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
