A report has emerged that Yemen's Houthi rebels are attempting to directly produce advanced medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) using components imported from China.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 13th (local time) that it had obtained a report from Conflict Armament Research (CAR), stating that the Houthis brought in parts necessary for self-production from Chinese companies, modeled after the Kheibar Shekan precision-guided missile, one of Iran's most powerful missiles.

This "Houthi-made missile" has a maximum range of approximately 2,000 kilometers, putting all of Saudi Arabia as well as Israel within its striking distance.

First unveiled by Iran in 2022, the Kheibar Shekan has been deployed in actual combat during the ongoing conflict to strike U.S. military bases in the Middle East, demonstrating considerable performance.

During the terminal phase, the warhead section (nose cone) carrying an explosive warhead separates from the fuselage and approaches targets at Mach 8, while also capable of changing direction using small thrusters, allowing it to evade air defense systems.

Fabian Hinz, a senior analyst at CAR, explained, "The confirmation of Chinese component imports means the Houthis are either already mass-producing missiles themselves or are at the stage of attempting to do so," adding, "Because the Houthis' weapons facilities are highly camouflaged, the exact extent of their actual missile production capacity remains unclear."

The report stated that the Houthis imported custom metal components, such as missile engine parts and airframe components, as well as control fins and solid-propellant rocket motor parts for the Kheibar Shekan missile.

Raw materials including missile testing equipment and ablative materials to protect missiles from ultra-high temperatures were also included.

This report was based on information provided in July of this year, following the seizure of two shipments of missile equipment hidden inside general cargo by the Yemeni government last year.

The Houthis, who maintain close ties with Iran, began importing asymmetric assets such as missiles and drones from Iran to compensate for their lacking military power when Saudi Arabia intervened in the civil war that started in 2014.

During the early stages of the civil war from 2015 to 2019, they disassembled completed missiles (Qiam-1 and Fateh series) obtained from Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, transported them via ships and aircraft, and simply reassembled them for launch.

From 2020 to 2023, they imported Iranian parts to assemble and improve them, assigning their own designations (Burkan and Quds series).

Recently, their capabilities are estimated to have advanced to the stage where they independently produce fairly high-performing missiles and drones by connecting with dual-use supply chains, without relying on Iran.

Mohammed Al-Basha, founder of the U.S. security consultancy Basha Report, pointed out to WSJ, "Moving away from the stage of relying on Iran and Hezbollah for years, the Houthis have now grown into an organization self-reliant enough to produce weapons on their own."

He added, "The Houthis have developed their own manufacturing capabilities, such as combining artificial intelligence (AI) into the software of missiles and drones, diversified their supply chains, and accumulated combat experience."

WSJ reported that while the Houthis are subject to U.S. sanctions, Chinese companies have been the largest source of intercepted goods currently headed toward the Houthis.

Henry Thompson, a former member of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen, expressed concern to WSJ, saying, "There is evidence that the Houthis have been importing components for solid-fuel ballistic missiles from China for at least two years," and added, "If the Houthis acquire medium-range ballistic missiles, it will pose a much more fatal threat as they could strike deep into Saudi Arabia with missiles carrying much larger warheads."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)