Houthis test experimental maritime weapons amid arsenal expansion

Houthi forces in Yemen are testing advanced maritime weapons, including potential "loitering torpedoes," as they aim to expand their arsenal and lessen reliance on imported systems, according to Conflict Armament Research (CAR). The research organization discovered navigation modules and propellers that could be utilized in such torpedoes, components not previously documented with any other armed group.

These advancements could enhance the Houthi capability to target ships and other maritime vessels over extended ranges. The Houthi expansion along Yemen's Red Sea coast is accompanied by these weapon developments; they claim thousands of square kilometers of territory under their control from recent offensive operations, while displacement has surpassed 125,000 individuals.

CAR's research indicates Iran remains crucial to the Houthi weapons supply chain, supplying weapons, assembly kits, and components, as well as fostering conditions for local production. Over 800 missile and drone components have been documented in maritime seizures within the Red Sea during 2024 and 2025, according to CAR. Rob Hunter-Parkins, CAR's head of research, suggests Iran-linked networks are supplying finished systems, knockdown kits, and materials intended for Yemeni manufacturing.

The Houthi R&D efforts appear to leverage this technological foundation, including exploration of hydrogen power to augment the range of unmanned systems. This assessment follows earlier findings that the Houthi arsenal now encompasses a broader array of missiles, drones, anti-tank weapons, artillery rockets, and underwater systems compared to their inventory when they seized Sanaa in 2014.

The arsenal now comprises at least 10 different missile types. The evidence also highlights advancements in how the Houthi combine surveillance and strike systems. For instance, a ballistic missile launch following a surveillance-drone flight exemplifies improved operational coordination. Separate intelligence suggests attempts to develop more sophisticated guidance technology.

Anthropic, a company, reported in July that a cell of users in Houthi-controlled northern Yemen sought to develop software for a guided rocket, a multi-stage ballistic missile with a range greater than 2,000 kilometers, and a missile family potentially including a hypersonic glide vehicle using Claude, their artificial-intelligence system.

While Anthropic found no evidence of operational weapons, they noted the users had constructed an offline simulation toolkit capable of supporting further development without Claude. The user's identity was not publicly confirmed but was located in northern Yemen, under Houthi control. The Houthi weapons developments coincide with ongoing fighting in Yemen and Houthi activity near the Bab el-Mandeb, the waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The group has previously employed missiles, explosive drones, and unmanned boats against vessels, and launched long-range strikes towards Israel and Saudi Arabia. A United Nations panel concluded that the Houthi development of several complex weapon categories is unlikely without external assistance, identifying parallels between Houthi systems and Iranian or allied groups' materiel.

Maritime interdictions have repeatedly uncovered missile parts, explosives, drones, radar equipment, and other military goods destined for Yemen. A 2025 UN report documented a seizure of over 750 tonnes of ammunition and hardware, including cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles similar to Iranian-produced systems, as well as drone kits, GPS modules, propellers, surveillance equipment, and communication devices, during a June interception.