Chinese-Made Components Found in Houthi Missile Supply Chain

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement is attempting to manufacture advanced medium-range ballistic missiles using specialized components shipped from China, according to a new investigation by Conflict Armament Research (CAR).

The findings suggest the Houthis are moving beyond simply reassembling Iranian-supplied weapons and are developing greater capacity to manufacture sophisticated missile systems inside Yemen. CAR said the evidence also shows the group is expanding its supply chains beyond networks traditionally linked to Iran.

Chinese shipments reveal more ambitious missile production

In July, Yemeni authorities documented four shipping containers intercepted while en route to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah. According to CAR’s investigation, shipping records showed the containers had arrived in the Aden Free Zone aboard two vessels carrying shipments from China.

CAR investigators identified seven components associated with Iran’s Khaibarshekan family of medium-range ballistic missiles. They included stabilizing-fin cores, rocket-motor aft closures with nozzle attachments and rocket-motor igniters. Investigators also found phenolic resin used to produce ablative heat shields that protect ballistic missiles from extreme temperatures during high-speed flight.

The shipments contained manufacturing and testing equipment as well, including a computer numerical control machine, industrial stamping press, vacuum pump, hydraulic power unit, portable X-ray system and thermal imager. While some of that equipment also has civilian applications, CAR said its presence alongside specialized missile components indicates it was likely intended to support missile manufacturing, testing and quality control.

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Shipping documents examined by CAR identified a Chinese precision-metal producer that advertises itself as a manufacturer of custom aerospace components. CAR said the machined missile parts appeared to have been made to order, although the organization was unable to independently verify the information with the manufacturer.

The evidence suggests the Houthis are seeking to manufacture at least portions of the Khaibarshekan missile series inside Yemen. Iran’s Khaibarshekan-1 reportedly has a range of about 1,450 kilometers, while the Khaibarshekan-2 has a claimed range of 1,800 kilometers. The Houthis already operate variants of the missile family under their own designations.

CAR concluded that the intercepted material points to local production involving missile airframes and motors, application of heat-resistant materials, system integration and testing. That would represent a substantial advance from the Houthis’ previously documented ability to manufacture simpler artillery rockets and drones.

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Houthis diversify weapons supply chains beyond Iran

Iran remains central to the development of Houthi military capabilities. Reuters reported on Oct. 15 that Tehran has provided the Houthis with weapons, money and training for more than a decade. Experts told Reuters that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and members of Hezbollah helped transfer knowledge about missile systems, allowing the Houthis to gradually develop the ability to assemble weapons locally.

However, the Houthis increasingly appear to be diversifying their suppliers. Reuters cited the CAR investigation as evidence that China has become an important commercial source of components, while Iran continues to provide specialized military technology, expertise and parts that are harder to obtain commercially.

Earlier United Nations investigations documented the same broader pattern. The U.N. Panel of Experts on Yemen reported that inspectors in May 2025 found concealed military materiel in containers originating from China and bound for Hodeidah. The cargo included drones, drone components, complete drone kits, remote-control equipment, antennas, GPS modules, propellers and surveillance equipment.

The U.N. report also documented a separate June 2025 seizure of more than 750 tons of ammunition and military hardware intended for the Houthis, including cruise, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles displaying characteristics similar to Iranian-made weapons.

The available evidence does not establish that the Chinese government authorized the recent missile-component shipments or that Chinese manufacturers knew their ultimate destination. Responding to the CAR findings, a Chinese Embassy spokesperson told The Associated Press that Beijing takes a “prudent and responsible approach” to military exports, strictly controls exports of dual-use items and fulfills its international obligations.

CAR’s findings nevertheless indicate that the Houthis are becoming less dependent on receiving complete weapons systems from abroad. By combining imported components and manufacturing equipment with technical knowledge developed through years of Iranian assistance, the group appears increasingly capable of producing sophisticated weapons inside Yemen.