Illustrative image of Qasef-1, source: almayadeen.com
The Yemeni Air Force [loyal to the Houthis] attacked a gathering of the Saudi military in the Kingdom’s southern province of Asir with a Qasef-2k suicide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on January 11.
“The strike was carried out after a careful reconnaissance operation … Qasef-2k hit its target accurately,” a source in the Yemeni Air Force told the al-Masirah TV.
The Houthis revealed the Qasef-2k suicide UAV a day earlier after using it in a successful attack on a military parade of Saudi-backed forces in southern Yemen. Several fighters and commanders of the Saudi-led coalition were reportedly killed in the attack, which was caught on tape.
According to experts, the Qasef-2k is a slightly upgraded copy of the Qasef-1 UAV, which is a direct copy of the Iranian Ababil-2. The new suicide UAV is armed with a heavy high-explosive fragmentation (HE-frag) warhead that explodes 20meters over the target.
Few hours after the Yemeni Air Force attack, the Saudi-led coalition announced that its warplanes have destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) command and control center of the Houthis in the Sanaa international airport.
“The destruction of the command and control center is in line with the international humanitarian law … The attack will neutralize the terrorist operations of the Houthi militias and server the regional and international security,” the Saudi-led coalition said in a statement, according to the al-Arabiya TV.
The Saudi-led coalition airstrikes were a clear response to the recent attacks by the Yemeni Air Force. While the coalition may believe that these airstrikes will put an end to the attacks of the Houthis and their allies, they likely have only a limited impact on the operations of the Houthis.
Vergeltungswaffen or what! Hitler proved the PR value of drone strikes in 1945 and the Houthis are enthusiastic – if late – adopters