The Houthi rebels painted the word “hypersonic” in English on the missile they launched at Israel over the weekend, emphasizing a new capability.
The Israeli military, however, is pouring cold water on the Houthis’ claim that the missile is a hypersonic weapon.
The Houthis published footage on Monday purportedly showing the launch of their new missile at Israel on Sunday. They claimed the Palestine 2 missile is hypersonic, features stealth technology, and has high maneuverability that allows it to surpass advanced air defenses.
The rebels even wrote “hypersonic” on the side of the missile in red to make their point, the video shows.
The Houthis claimed responsibility Sunday for the attack, which they said targeted an “important” military site in Israel with a “new hypersonic ballistic missile” that traveled more than 1,200 miles in roughly 11 minutes and 30 seconds. That would indicate that the rebels’ missile hit hypersonic speeds, which are at least five times the speed of sound.
Such speeds are not uncommon for ballistic missiles. True hypersonic weapons are about more than speed.
The Israeli Air Force has determined that the missile was not hypersonic as the Houthis claimed, Israeli media reported. It traveled on a set trajectory and did not maneuver in flight, meaning it lacked a key characteristic of hypersonic weapons, a term typically used for glide vehicles and hypersonic scramjet cruise missiles.
Iran, which has long provided the Houthis with weapons, previously unveiled what it says is a hypersonic ballistic missile, but Tehran has denied providing such capabilities to the Yemeni rebels.
Business Insider was unable to independently verify any of the Houthis’ claims.
A Pentagon spokesperson said on Monday that the US assessed the Houthis to have fired a ballistic missile, adding that the rebels “certainly have advanced capabilities.”
The Israel Defense Forces said that a surface-to-surface missile was launched from Yemen at Israel early Sunday morning local time, adding that an initial inquiry suggests the missile likely fragmented mid-flight.
“During the incident, several interception attempts were made by the Arrow and Iron Dome Aerial Defense Systems, and their results are under review,” the IDF wrote in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.
Arrow and Iron Dome are designed to defend against longer-range and shorter-range attacks, respectively. The IDF said fragments of its interceptor missiles landed in open areas and at a train station.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said that the Houthis “should know that we exact a high price for any attempt to attack us.”
“Whoever needs a reminder of this is invited to visit the port of Hodeidah,” he added, referring to the Yemeni city that Israeli fighter jets bombed in July in response to a deadly Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv.
The Iran-backed Houthis have carried out a number of attacks against Israel since Hamas’ October 7 massacre triggered an ensuing war in Gaza. The rebels have also fired missiles and drones at merchant shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which has led to US-led military action, including strikes in Yemen, in response.
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