"Missile forces of the movement have successfully tested a missile that can reach speeds of up to Mach 8 [10,000 kilometers per hour or 6,200 miles per hour] and is powered by solid fuel. Yemen plans to begin manufacturing it for use in attacks in the Red and Arabian Seas and the Gulf of Aden, as well as against targets in Israel," the source said.
At the same time as the hypersonic missile test, the armed forces in northern Yemen upgraded their missiles and drones, having modified the explosive warheads to double their destructive power, after a test that lasted three months, the source added.
Last Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi spoke about the movement's efforts to produce hypersonic missiles, saying that "our enemies, friends and our people will see a level of achievement of strategic importance that will place our country in terms of its capabilities among the few countries in this world."
He then said that Yemen's forces have used new weapons in recent operations in the Red and Arabian Seas, which "surprised the United States and the United Kingdom." He added that the movement attacked 61 vessels and a military ship since the Palestinian movement Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Yemen's Houthis said in November 2023 that they would attack any Israeli-linked ships passing through the Red Sea in retaliation for the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. They have since launched dozens of attacks on ships in the region, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from the UK and the US.