Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has claimed to have launched a “homemade hypersonic missile” at a civilian ship sailing under the Liberian flag in the Arabian Sea.
What Happened: The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Sare’e, stated that the missile, known as “Hatem-2” or “Hadim-2,” was aimed at the MSC Sarah V, a Greek-managed civilian vessel associated with Israel. The extent of the damage to the ship remains uncertain, Business Insider reported on Thursday.
Footage of the missile launch was released by the Houthi rebels, who claimed it to be a solid-fuel missile with an intelligent control system. However, the authenticity of the footage is yet to be verified.
Despite the Houthis’ assertion that the missile was homemade, there are doubts due to their lack of known capability to manufacture advanced weaponry. The group has been previously found to receive weapons from Iran, in violation of a United Nations arms embargo.
The missile featured in the Houthis’ video appears similar to Iranian-made munitions such as the Fattah-1, capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 13. The Houthis have been attacking numerous ships, primarily in the Red Sea, in response to Israel’s recent actions in Gaza.
The launch occurred just weeks after the Houthis claimed to have launched another advanced missile, the “Palestine,” on June 8. Like the “Hatem-2,” this missile also resembled Iranian warhead designs.
Why It Matters: The Houthi rebels have previously linked their ongoing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea to Israeli “aggression” in Gaza, stating that they will only reconsider their attacks if Israel ceases its actions in Gaza.
In March, a U.S. Navy destroyer intercepted drones and a missile launched by the Houthis in the Red Sea.
In May, joint U.S. and U.K. airstrikes targeted Yemen’s Houthi rebels, resulting in 16 fatalities and 42 injuries. The airstrikes were a response to increased Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Image via Shutterstock
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari
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