Media: Houthi missile stockpile limited after US, Israeli strikes

Following recent airstrikes by Israel and the United States, security assessments suggest that the Houthi rebels’ missile stockpile has been significantly reduced.

The group, active in Yemen, is now believed to possess only a few dozen launchers—far fewer than the number they had hoped to deploy, Caliber.Az reports per N12.

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came to an end, the Houthis have launched 11 ballistic missiles at Israel, three of which did not trigger warning alarms. These missiles, which can weigh several hundred kilograms and measure between five to ten metres in length, continue to pose a threat, even as the group faces significant logistical challenges in scaling up their attacks.

A combination of factors limits the Houthis' ability to launch large-scale strikes. Many of their missile launchers were damaged in attacks carried out by both US and Israeli forces. Additionally, the launch zones within Yemen are severely restricted, forcing most of the missiles to be intercepted by Israeli defence systems, while some land in neighbouring Saudi Arabia or Jordan. Despite these constraints, the Houthis have continued to disrupt the lives of millions of Israelis, launching near-daily missile strikes since the ceasefire ended.

Israeli security officials believe that the Houthis possess only a small number of launchers, with new missile production occurring at a limited rate. This has led to concerns that, while the attacks may remain sporadic, the rebels will persist in targeting Israel for as long as the conflict in Gaza continues.

Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) officials have been in ongoing discussions with the Israel Air Force (IAF) and the Home Front Command, exploring ways to reduce the impact of the missile attacks. One of the key strategies being considered is to minimise the activation of air raid sirens by intercepting the missiles earlier in their flight path, thereby reducing the number of civilians forced to seek shelter.

By Aghakazim Guliyev