Israel identifies extended-range Houthi weapons

Ansar Allah released a photograph on 1 November showing a Zulfiqar launch to illustrate its attacks on Israel. (Ansar Allah)

The Yemeni rebel group Ansar Allah (Houthis) has been launching Zulfiqar ballistic missiles and Quds cruise missiles at Israel, not new types of weapons, according to two letters submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by Gilad Erdan,the Israeli ambassador to the UN.

The letters said Zulfiqars were launched from Yemen towards Israel on 31 October, 4 November, 9 November, and 14 November. The one on 4 November has not been previously reported, while the Israeli military announced at the time that the other three were shot down by its Arrow Weapon System, with an Arrow 3 exoatmospheric interceptor used for the first time on 9 November.

Another ballistic missile was intercepted on 6 December, after the letters were submitted to the UNSC.

The letters also said that five Quds land-attack cruise missiles were launched at Israel on 19 October, two on 27 October, several on 31 October, and one more on 22 November.

The US military said one of its destroyers shot down three cruise missiles heading up the Red Sea on 19 October, while the Israeli military said that F-35I fighters shot down one cruise missile on 31 October and another on 22 November. A cruise missile attack on 27 October was not previously reported.

The letters also identified the type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Yemen at Israel on 27 and 31 October as the KAS-04, which is the US military designation for what Ansar Allah calls the Samad series and has been seen in Iran labelled as the Sayyad.