Yemen’s Houthi rebels have posed a major challenge to Saudi Arabia’s security with their missiles and drones. On October 7, 3 people were killed and 36 injured in attacks at Riyadh and Abha airports in Saudi Arabia. After this, another major attack took place on October 11 at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. 12 people have died, while more than 300 people have been injured. The Houthis do not have a conventional air force, but they can target distant targets with missiles and drones. The question is, what weapons do the Houthis have that are targeting Saudi Arabia, Israel and ships in the Red Sea?
1. What missiles do the Houthis have?
The Houthis have ballistic and cruise missiles. Ballistic missiles fall towards their target at high altitude, while cruise missiles attack while flying like an airplane.
- Tufan: Its striking distance is said to be about 1,350 to 2,000 km. It is believed to be linked to Iran’s Gadar missile.
- Palestine-2: The Houthis claim that it can attack from a distance of more than 2,000 km. They describe it as hypersonic, but its full capability has not been independently confirmed.
- Burqan: The various strike range of this missile is about 800 to 1,200 km.
- Hatem: A missile with a range of about 1,450 km.
- Quds-4: Cruise missile, said to have an estimated range of up to 2,000 km.
- Assef: A ballistic missile that targets sea-going ships, said to have a range of about 400 km.
- Al-Mandab: A cruise missile designed to attack ships.
Many of these weapons are of Iranian design.
2. How dangerous are the Houthis’ drones?
The Houthis have everything from small drones to long-range explosive drones. Ksafe-1 and Ksafe-2K can attack up to a distance of about 200 km. The estimated range of Samad-3 is 1,200 to 1,800 km. Vaidya-2 and Samad-4 have a stated maximum range of up to 2,500 km. These drones can be used to attack distant targets. Some drones explode upon hitting a target, while some are capable of dropping bombs. Some small drones can be built for around $1,500, according to experts. Therefore, to stop them, expensive air defense weapons may have to be used.
3. Where did the Houthis get so many weapons?
The Houthis captured Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014. After that, old weapons of the Yemeni army were found with him. Over time they modified the missiles and started making new drones. The US and Saudi Arabia allege that Iran supplies them with weapons, technology and training. However, Iran and the Houthis deny the allegations.
According to a May 2026 report, an investigation into the seized weapons revealed more than 800 pieces of equipment and 750 tons of weapons. The sources of the instruments were related to 16 different fields. This shows that the arms network of the Houthis is spread across many countries.
4. Why America and Saudi Arabia could not stop the Houthis?
The strength of the Houthis is not only in missiles. They fight in the mountainous areas of Yemen, where their bases are difficult to reach. America and Israel attacked their weapons depots in 2025. However, the Houthis continued to use new drones and missiles. According to experts, the Houthis may have around 100 to 200 long-range ballistic missiles. However, this figure is based on estimates. Apart from this, the Houthis also use remote control boats loaded with explosives in the sea.
5. What is the biggest threat to Saudi Arabia and the world?
The Houthis targeted airports in Riyadh, Abha and Aden in October. In response, the Saudi coalition reported attacking more than 80 Houthi military targets. More than 2 lakh people have been left homeless by the renewed fighting in Yemen. The biggest threat is over the Bab al-Mandeb strait. It connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Ships reach the Suez Canal through this route.
Trade from Hormuz is already affected by the US-Iran war. In such a scenario, if the attacks on Bab-al-Mandeb increase, oil supplies, shipping costs and global trade may be affected.
