Seized Parts May Support Houthi Missile Effort

A Conflict Armament Research investigation says components seized from two shipments intercepted in 2025 could support a Houthi effort to build a version of Iran’s Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile, but researchers have not established that the group assembled or tested an operational weapon. The assessment, based on information provided by Yemeni authorities after the interceptions, identified parts and equipment that could be used in missile production. The shipments were intercepted in 2025, and officials supplied information about them in July, according to the reporting. The components included custom metal structures, missile fins, parts associated with a solid-propellant motor, testing equipment, tools and heat-resistant material. Some items could have civilian uses, the assessment acknowledged, while others appeared specifically engineered for missile construction. Fabian Hinz, a senior analyst at Conflict Armament Research, said the scale of the imports could indicate manufacturing efforts. He cautioned that researchers could not determine how far any assembly had progressed or whether it was successful.