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On July 11, the Yemeni Missiles Force [loyal to the Houthis] announced that it had launched an OTR-21 Tochka missile at a gathering of Saudi-backed Yemeni fighters along the western coast of Yemen.
A source in the Yemeni Missiles Force told the Yemeni al-Masirah TV that the missile strike was carried out following a “careful observation mission” by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The source claimed that the strike led to chaos and panic among the fighters of the Saudi-led coalition.
The OTR-21 Tochka is Soviet-made tactical ballistic missile with a range of over 70km and a 482kg high explosive warhead. The Soviet ballistic missile is also known for its high accuracy and its ability to bypass missile-defense systems, such as the US-made Patriot.
Last month, a missile of the same type was launched by the Yemeni Missiles Force at a gathering of Saudi-led coalition troops along the western Yemeni coast. Back then, al-Masirah claimed that dozens of coalition fighters were killed as a result of the strike.
The Saudi-led coalition usually responds to such missile strikes by targeting key positions in the stronghold of the Houthis, the northern province of Saada. This policy has failed to deter the Houthis, so far.
