Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels are attempting to develop an advanced medium-range ballistic missile system using components sourced from China, according to a report released on Wednesday by the UK-based Conflict Armament Research (CAR), as the escalating conflict in the country disrupts humanitarian aid and deepens food insecurity.
The report said the Houthis had sought key components from Chinese suppliers that could be used to assemble a version of Iran’s Kheibar Shekan precision-guided missile, which has a range of about 2,000 kilometres.
“The local ambition of the Houthis for manufacturing is beyond what was previously assumed,” said Fabian Hinz, a senior analyst at CAR, adding that the specific components indicated that the group would have needed missile-related design information.
The report was based on information released by Yemeni government authorities in July after officials intercepted two suspicious shipments originating from China and destined for Hodeidah, a Yemeni port that Israeli officials say has commonly been used by Iran as a weapons transfer point.
The cargo included missile components such as stabilising fin cores, rocket motor aft closures with nozzle attachments and rocket motor igniters. It also contained phenolic resin, a material used to manufacture heat shields that protect ballistic missiles during atmospheric flight.
Hinz said the combination of materials suggested that the Houthis intended to assemble the Iranian-designed missile system. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
The Houthis have expanded their weapons capabilities over the years, moving from Soviet-era and North Korean weapons seized from Yemeni government forces to more sophisticated systems. In the ongoing conflict with Saudi Arabia, they have used ballistic missiles, manoeuvrable warheads and long-range drones. They have also previously launched scores of missiles and drones at Israel, more than 1,600 kilometres away.
Iran has supplied the Houthis with weapons designs and components, but the group’s efforts to procure parts from other sources could reduce its dependence on Tehran.
“With a blockade of Iran in place, the Houthis are diversifying,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Research by The Century Foundation earlier this year described the group’s arms programme as increasingly reliant on a global supply chain involving smugglers across Yemen and business networks operating from export hubs in eastern China.
Yemen experts believe the Houthis still depend on Iran for more sophisticated components, including navigation and control systems, but have expanded their ability to manufacture and assemble weapons domestically in territory under their control.
The growing use of Chinese components could also have implications for relations in the Gulf. China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner and has previously condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and called for de-escalation.
The developments come as the conflict continues to disrupt humanitarian operations in Yemen. The United Nations on Wednesday welcomed the release of Sami al-Kalabi, an employee of the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen who had been detained by the Houthis since 2024, while calling for the immediate and unconditional release of 71 UN personnel still being held.
UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said al-Kalabi had returned home to his family but urgently needed specialised medical care.
Haq also warned that escalating hostilities had cut off life-saving World Food Programme assistance to 800,000 people. Shifting front lines, blocked roads and insecurity were restricting humanitarian access to Taiz and other affected areas.
Ten of Taiz’s 16 districts had previously been classified at emergency levels of food insecurity, he said.
The WFP had reached more than 115,000 newly displaced people in areas where access remained possible. However, Haq warned that the agency would significantly reduce assistance from November without additional funding, as more families fled their homes and relied on humanitarian aid to survive.
(With agency inputs from Reuters)