Houthis building ballistic missiles with Chinese components amid conflict with Saudi, Israel: Report

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels are attempting to build a new advanced medium-range ballistic missile system. And for this, they are reportedly taking the help of China. The move could help the group that has shown remarkable ability to wreak havoc on one of the Middle East’s best equipped militaries hit targets more precisely the Saudi and Israel.

According to the UK based Conflict Armament Research (CAR) group that tracks the use of weapons in conflict zones, the Houthi's are by acquiring Chinese parts are looking to make a version of Iran’s Kheibar Shekan precision-guided missile, reported the Associated Press. The Kheibar Shekan is a long-range missile with a range of almost 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers).

“The local ambition of the Houthis for manufacturing is beyond what was previously assumed,” said Fabian Hinz, a senior analyst at Conflict Armament Research.

“These types of parts are very specific, and producing them would have required design information related to the missile," Hinz was further quoted as saying by AP.

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Responding to the report, Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington denied to address the specific findings of the CAR study but maintained that Beijing was fulfilling its “international obligations.”

“China has always adopted a prudent and responsible approach to the export of military products and strictly controls the export of dual-use items,” Chang said as reported by the news agency.

The report release by CAR was based on information released by Yemeni government authorities in July after officials intercepted two shipments that included suspicious equipment.

The shipments originated from China and contained parts integral to the functioning of a missile like stabilizing fin cores, rocket motor aft closures with nozzle attachments, and rocket motor igniters.

“This particular type of system is very difficult to smuggle. And you can’t just disassemble and reassemble them,” Hinz said about the seizure.

According to UN, China accounts for the largest share of seized shipments destined for the Houthis.