Saudi‑backed Yemeni forces field rare Croatian rocket system against Houthis
Pro‑Saudi Presidential Leadership Council forces in Yemen have used a rare Croatian‑made RAK‑SA‑12 multiple rocket launcher, likely supplied by Riyadh, in attacks on Houthi targets. The appearance of the system hints at quiet upgrades in the proxy firepower shaping one of the region’s longest wars.
Pro‑Saudi forces in Yemen have deployed a little‑seen Croatian multiple rocket launcher in strikes on Houthi positions, suggesting fresh external support and a gradual modernization of the heavy weapons used in the country’s grinding conflict.
Images and field reports from Yemen indicate that units aligned with the Saudi‑backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) recently used a 128mm RAK‑SA‑12 multiple rocket launcher — a system originally designed and built in Croatia — during attacks on fighters from the Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah. The launcher fired M91A1 and M91A2 rockets, according to weapons analysts familiar with the footage.
The RAK‑SA‑12 is rarely seen in the Yemeni theater, and analysts assess it is very likely that the system was supplied by Saudi Arabia, which has long armed and financed PLC‑aligned formations. Riyadh has not publicly commented on the specific launcher, and there is no official confirmation of the transfer. However, the system’s appearance dovetails with Saudi Arabia’s broader role as the primary backer of anti‑Houthi forces and a major purchaser and redistributor of foreign‑made weaponry.
For fighters on the ground and civilians nearby, the introduction of a modern multiple rocket launcher means greater destructive power over a wider area in shorter time. The 128mm rockets used by the RAK‑SA‑12 can saturate positions, trenches and lightly built structures, making them potent tools in both offensive pushes and defensive barrages. When such systems are used near populated zones, the risk to non‑combatants rises sharply.
Operationally, the system gives PLC commanders more flexibility. A mobile launcher that can deliver a heavy salvo and then relocate limits the opponent’s ability to respond with counter‑battery fire. In a war characterized by fluid front lines and often improvised artillery, even a handful of more capable rocket systems can shift local balances, making it harder for Houthi units to mass forces without being exposed to concentrated fire.
Strategically, the appearance of the Croatian launcher is another data point in a conflict long shaped by foreign arms flows. While Iran is widely regarded as the main supplier of weapons and technical support to the Houthis — from drones to missiles — Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have equipped an array of Yemeni factions with imported systems. Each new piece of kit adds another layer of complexity to any future disarmament or integration of forces that might follow a political settlement.
The broader pattern in Yemen is that even as front‑page attention wanes, the war continues to absorb and adapt new tools. External sponsors may be more cautious after years of stalemate and international criticism, but they still see value in marginal improvements that can harden defensive lines, protect key infrastructure, or increase bargaining power at the negotiating table.
One sentence captures the stakes: when foreign‑made rocket launchers roll into Yemen’s front lines, they do more than change a battlefield—they make any eventual peace process inherit a deeper, more fragmented arsenal.
Key indicators to watch include whether more RAK‑SA‑12 systems or similar launchers appear in future footage, how the Houthis respond in terms of their own artillery and missile deployments, and whether outside powers adjust their security assistance or mediation efforts. Any sign of new arms transfers being publicly acknowledged or quietly curtailed will offer clues about how much longer the conflict’s external patrons intend to fuel its firepower.
Sources
- OSINT