On June 25, 2024, the Houthis announced that they had attacked the MSC Sarah V vessel in the Arabian Sea using a new, previously undisclosed missile.
A Day later, they released a video showing the missile’s launch, identifying it as the “Hathem 2,” a solid-fueled hypersonic ballistic missile purportedly manufactured in Yemen. According to claims in the video, the Hathem 2 possesses advanced guidance capabilities and maneuverability.
However, based on the footage and images presented by the Houthis, the Hathem 2 appears to be a variant of the Iranian Khiebar Shaken, known for several years.
The Houthis asserted that it was an anti-ship missile, but the footage displayed the missile lacked typical electro-optical or radar seeker, that exist in other Iranian anti-ship missiles like the Hormuz or the Khalij Fars.
Various reports indicate that the missile missed the vessel. Some speculated that the lack of a seeker made the Houthis launch the missile to the vessel’s predicted location
at the time of impact
Similarly to the case of the “Palestine” missile and other weapon systems, the Houthis are trying to portray themselves as if they are producing new and advanced weapon systems independently, while in reality, they are using well-known Iranian weaponry.
