A Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that military hardware deployed by Houthi militants relies extensively on dual-use commercial parts sourced from China. Recovered debris from recent strikes indicates that microchips, sensors, and guidance components manufactured by Chinese firms are regularly integrated into Houthi weaponry. Many of these commercial-off-the-shelf components are easily purchased online or through intermediary brokers, allowing militants to bypass formal export controls. Western and regional intelligence officials note that while Beijing denies official state support or involvement, the widespread proliferation of these parts presents a major diplomatic and security dilemma. The findings underscore the immense difficulty of cutting off illicit manufacturing supply chains when modern precision weapons depend heavily on standard industrial tech.

Full investigation : A detailed Wall Street Journal analysis shows that Houthi missiles and drones rely heavily on commercial Chinese components.