Sana: Yemen’s Houthi rebels have emerged as a serious threat to even the world’s most advanced military force — the U.S. Air Force — after reportedly shooting down an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and an F-16 Viper in Yemen.

The incident has raised global concern because the Houthis are known to possess limited and underdeveloped air defense technology compared to America’s state-of-the-art military systems. This discrepancy has sparked debate: What hidden power do the Houthis possess that makes them capable of challenging elite U.S. fighter jets?

Repurposed Missiles Turning the Tide
According to a report by The War Zone, the Houthis have re-engineered Soviet-era R-73 (AA-11 Archer) and R-27 (AA-10 Alamo) infrared-guided air-to-air missiles into surface-to-air systems, now known locally as Thaqib-1 and Thaqib-2.

While these systems may lack the precision and range of modern Western weaponry, they have proven to be unexpectedly effective, particularly when targeting aircraft that operate under the assumption of air superiority.

The Houthis have also released infrared camera footage of successful engagements against U.S. drones, further validating their growing ability to strike aerial targets from the ground.

Passive Systems: A Stealthy Threat
One of the key dangers lies in the use of infrared (IR) sensors, which are passive systems — unlike radar, they do not emit signals that alert targeted aircraft of incoming threats. This makes them particularly dangerous for stealth and non-stealth aircraft alike, as there’s no early warning.

When paired with radar-guided missile systems, IR sensors enable defenders to delay emissions until the final moments, giving U.S. pilots very little time to respond or deploy countermeasures.

A Strategic Shift in Asymmetric Warfare
Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told CBS News that the Houthis — supported by Iran — are leveraging electro-optical tracking systems. These systems are “completely passive and difficult to detect,” making pre-launch detection nearly impossible for targeted aircraft.

The development shows a strategic shift in asymmetric warfare, where relatively low-tech but clever adaptations of older systems can pose serious challenges to even the most advanced militaries. It’s a warning that technological superiority alone is not always a guarantee of dominance, especially when non-traditional forces use unconventional tactics and tools effectively.