Iran Sends Houthis ‘Suicide Drones,’ Putting Red Sea in Reach

Iran has sent its so-called suicide drones to the Houthis in Yemen, Newsweek reported.

The Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munitions, which have been deployed to the Houthi controlled northern Yemeni province of Al-Jawf, have a range of 2,000 km to 2,200 km, or some 1,240 miles to 1,370 miles. The unmanned aerial vehicles, which explode when they reach their target, put the Red Sea and its important shipping routes, as well as US targets, within reach. The drones were delivered late last month, according to the report, citing photographs furnished to the magazine.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the State Department would designate the Houthis, whose formal name is Ansar Allah, as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

Israel recently moved Iron Dome and Patriot missile defense batteries to the southern city of Eilat, located on the Red Sea.