Yemen Monitor / Reporting Unit / Exclusive:
Since March 15, the US has launched a second aerial campaign against the Houthis in areas under their control, resulting in hundreds of casualties, including dozens of civilians. Yet another tragedy has emerged: Houthi missiles and drones are also falling onto civilian homes as the group attempts to develop its own air defense missiles.
In at least four documented cases, Houthi missiles and drones have crashed into citizens’ homes and farms, according to residents and sources who detailed the incidents referenced in this report.
The US faces accusations of killing civilians, as seen in Ras Issa port attack, where more than 230 oil port workers and staff were killed or injured in northern Al-Hudaidah province, western Yemen. However, some incidents appear to involve locally made missiles.
Houthi missiles, which rely on Iranian weapons technology, consistently suffer from technical malfunctions, according to military officials familiar with the matter who spoke to Yemen Monitor. These flaws often cause drones and missiles to crash in areas under Houthi control.
On March 20, the Houthis claimed they had downed a U.S. drone over rural areas near Ma’bar, south of Sana’a, in Dhamar province. However, local residents told Yemen Monitor the next day that Houthi forces quickly moved to collect the wreckage. By morning, the residents discovered remnants of a locally made ballistic missile scattered across their farms.
They said, “We know the structure of these missile casings, and what we found lacked any Western technology or wiring,” providing photos of the debris.
On April 9, residents in Amran province reported a ballistic missile crash in their area, sharing pictures and video footage showing the missile wreckage.
In Al-Mahwit province, on April 21, the Houthis claimed a U.S. airstrike targeted Jabal Al-Mahwit district. However, the following morning, residents found debris from a ballistic missile marked “256” scattered over their farmland. The Houthis later arrested six people who had photographed the wreckage.
Another widely disputed airstrike occurred in Farwah neighborhood on the outskirts of Old Sana’a, killing and injuring 40 people. Residents said the Houthis quickly cordoned off the area and arrested anyone attempting to photograph the missile debris.
One resident told Yemen Monitor that he rushed to the site immediately after the explosion and noted that the damage was minor: a resident’s bus was destroyed, but no large crater was left behind — typically expected after a major airstrike. Instead, the debris and damage resembled “an explosion caused by numerous combined hand grenades.”
Residents reported similar observations regarding a supposed “airstrike” in the Majel Al-Damma cemetery behind Al-Ahli Club headquarters in Sana’a.
The Houthis refused to allow international or independent media correspondents and photographers access to Farwah neighborhood to document the damage or meet the victims. They also arrested most individuals who posted photos of the airstrikes or the damage caused by the alleged raids.
The Houthis do not officially acknowledge their missiles malfunctioning and crashing in areas under their control — whether during the current U.S. campaign or throughout the civil war that began in September 2014. However, private whispers among the group hint at these frequent mishaps.
Developing air defense missiles
A military official said that the missile’s location signal disappears from the devices held by the Houthi military team, which means the missile escapes in that area. Consequently, “military teams affiliated with the group are directed to move to collect the debris in order to study it and determine the malfunction.”
According to military officials, the group seeks to develop air defense weapons to shoot down warplanes, but during their experiments, the missiles fall before reaching the target. The Houthis have managed to shoot down US MQ-9 drones, as Pentagon officials say.
Sources in the report spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
