Yemen’s armed forces have accused the Houthi militia of deploying Iranian air defense weapons converted into loitering missiles, describing the development as a direct and dangerous threat to civilian aviation over the southern Red Sea.
Iranian Experts Oversee Conversion in Yemen
Col. Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces, said the weapons are being modified by experts from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps inside Yemen and launched from Hodeidah Governorate toward international air routes crossing the southern Red Sea.
According to Al-Nuzaili, each converted missile can cruise for up to 25 minutes and operates on a thermal tracking system, allowing it to home in on any heat source without distinguishing between military and civilian targets.
Civilian Aircraft at Risk
The spokesperson warned that the capability poses a serious danger to the safety of civil aviation and the lives of passengers, including those aboard humanitarian and relief organization aircraft that use these air corridors to reach Yemen and the wider region.
Escalation Follows Iranian Threats
Al-Nuzaili linked the escalation to recent threats from Iranian officials, including Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to the Iranian Supreme Leader, and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, to target and disrupt aviation services in the region following sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines.
- The weapons are Iranian air defense systems converted into loitering missiles.
- Launches originate from Hodeidah Governorate toward southern Red Sea air routes.
- Each missile can cruise up to 25 minutes using thermal tracking.
- The system cannot differentiate between military and civilian heat sources.
- Humanitarian and relief flights are among those exposed to the threat.
