Saleh and Houthi militias unveil new ballistic missile

Houthi militias and forces loyal to former Yemeni dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh yesterday unveiled a new missile, which they have named Qaher-M2.

Image of Qaher-M2

The unveiling ceremony took place yesterday in Yemen when the missiles were displayed and later tested.

The unveiling of missile Qaher-M2 in Yemen

The Houthi flag, which reads “God is great, death to America, death to Israel, curse the Jews, victory to Islam,” was featured in the unveiling event. The flag of the Yemeni army was also featured; further showing that Saleh and his loyalist militias are refusing to acknowledge that he is no longer president of Yemen.

The missile was based on the Iranian Tondar-69 missile, which itself was built in 1992 based on the Soviet S-75 SAM missile.

A ballistic missile, the new weapon has a range of 400 kilometres and weighs 350 kilogrammes. It has a target accuracy of five to ten metres.

Yemen has been locked in a bitter battle between Houthi rebels allied with forces loyal to ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh against government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, along with local tribes and resistance forces backed by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition. Nearly 10,000 people have been killed as a result of the conflict with millions displaced as a result of the fighting.

Screengrab from the unveiling of missile Qaher-M2 in Yemen, March 29, 2017

Screengrab from the unveiling of missile Qaher-M2 in Yemen, March 29, 2017