The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have continued their ballistic missile attacks on Israel. The group is attempting to keep up an almost-daily level of rocket fire at Israel. On May 4, a Houthi missile fell near Ben-Gurion International Airport. The group has not been able to penetrate Israel’s air defenses since the May 4 incident. Nevertheless, the Houthis continue to boast of new accomplishments.
The Houthis launched missiles at Israel on May 27, setting off alarms near the Dead Sea. On May 25, alarms sounded in Jerusalem and other areas of the West Bank. Two days earlier, sirens sounded across Tel Aviv. On May 22, a missile threatened central Israel and Jerusalem.
There were also attacks on May 22, 18, 15, 14, 13, 9, and the attack on the 4th. Israel’s early warning system has been improved, giving people more time to seek shelter by telling them roughly what region is affected, prior to the alarms sounding. Nevertheless, millions of Israelis continue to be sent to shelters almost every day.
The Houthis said that they launched two missiles targeting Ben-Gurion Airport and “another vital target in Tel Aviv,” according to the Houthi high command on May 27. “The Yemeni Armed Forces have carried out two missile attacks on Ben Gurion Airport and another vital target in Tel Aviv, spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said,” according to Iran’s state IRNA media.
The Houthis claimed they were retaliating for the “genocide in Gaza” as well as the “storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Monday.” This was a reference to events surrounding Jerusalem Day.
“The genocide against our brothers in the Gaza Strip, along with the siege and starvation, is a crime unprecedented in human history. This necessitates that all free people from our nation and the world take action to uphold justice, defend humanity, and fulfill their duty towards the oppressed Palestinian people,” the Houthi statement claimed.
Is the Houthis’ Palestine 2 ballistic missile really hypersonic?
The group also claimed to have used a missile it dubs the Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile. There is no evidence that the missile is hypersonic. The group then said that the “second operation used a Zulfiqar ballistic missile, striking a key target in the eastern occupied territories.”
Houthi missiles are modelled on Iranian ballistic missiles. The Houthis claim their operations are “successful” because they claim that “millions of Israeli settlers rush to shelters.” They also claimed to have halted air traffic temporarily at the airport.
The Houthis appear to be hinting that they know their attacks have diminishing returns. Israel is used to the daily attacks. Israel is also not retaliating very often for the attacks.
The US attempted to bomb the Houthis into submission between March 15 and early May. US President Donald Trump, realizing this was a bombing campaign conflict that was likely going nowhere, called off the strikes and made a deal with the Houthis that was brokered by Oman.
The Houthi claims of hypersonic missiles come after Iran also claimed to have rolled out a “hypersonic” missile in 2023. The Fattah missile was designed to be launched such that it is a multi-stage missile with a re-entry portion that is on top of a medium-range ballistic missile. What this means is that it can exit the atmosphere and return.
It is not clear if the second stage re-entry vehicle part of the missile, which contains the warhead, can maneuver. Maneuverability is what makes hypersonic missiles dangerous. Any missile can be hypersonic by reaching speeds over Mach 5. However, speed alone is not what makes hypersonic missiles an emerging threat.
These hypersonic missiles are another example of Houthi exaggeration
It is likely that the Houthis’ claim of “hypersonic” achievements is based only on speed, not because their missiles can maneuver or achieve other threat vectors that would pose a challenge to air defenses.
This is an example of Houthi exaggeration. Nevertheless, the fact that they have been able to maintain a daily attack on Israel using ballistic missiles for a year showcases their dangerous capabilities and threat to the region.
The Houthis don’t appear like they will back down. They have suffered some airstrikes, but they are rebuilding their airports and ports that have been targeted. It doesn’t appear that the missiles themselves, apparently hidden in mountains with launch vehicles that can be easily rolled out or disguised, have been targeted or neutralized.
It is hard to find ballistic missiles. The so-called “Great Scud Hunt” of the 1991 Gulf War revealed how complex an operation it is to track down mobile missile launchers.
These days missiles can be hidden in things that resemble sea containers, and placed on the back of a truck. The Houthis have both solid and liquid-fueled missiles. Solid-fueled missiles can be launched faster than liquid-fueled missiles.
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