Toufan
Gallery
Overview
Houthi explosive drone boat family used to attack commercial ships in the Red Sea, sinking the bulk carrier Tutor.
Toufan is a family of explosive-laden drone boats fielded by Yemen's Houthi movement and one of the clearest examples of non-state actors using sea drones against commercial shipping. Three versions were paraded in 2022, all with waterjet propulsion and simple cockpits, and the larger ones carry cameras and radar. During the Houthi campaign against Red Sea shipping, such boats were steered into merchant ships at the waterline, where flooding does the most damage, and an explosive drone boat attack contributed to the sinking of the bulk carrier Tutor in June 2024. Guidance appears to combine GPS tracking with a live video feed for remote control.
Primary Roles
Notes
Three variants (Toufan-1, -2, -3) were paraded in Sana'a in September 2022, with waterjet propulsion and cockpits for one or two operators; Toufan-3 carries a radar. A similar skiff recovered in January 2024 had a roughly 50 kg (110 lb) warhead. Explosive drone boats contributed to sinking the M/V Tutor in June 2024. Dimensions and range are not published.
