Houthi-aligned forces fielded the Project 358/Saqr as a loitering surface-to-air missile; U.S. interdictions documented 358 missiles being smuggled to the Houthis, and later analysis describes the type's role against UAVs and helicopters.
Role detailsAir Defense
Saqr / Project 358 surface-to-air missile
Also known as
- 358 missile
- Type 358
- Project 358
- Three-Five-Eight surface-to-air missile
- Saqr
- Saqr-1
- Saqr-358
The Saqr, commonly identified as Project 358 or the 358 missile, is an Iranian-designed loitering surface-to-air missile associated with Houthi-aligned forces in Yemen. It differs from conventional short-range SAMs by boosting into flight, cruising while searching for slower aerial targets, and using a compact air-breathing engine, making it a notable counter-UAV and helicopter threat in the 2014 Yemen Civil War.
Role in Conflicts
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Iran
- Built by
- Iranian defense industry
- Type
- Loitering surface-to-air missile
- Service note
- Publicly documented in Yemen-bound maritime interdictions from 2019 onward and displayed by Houthi forces by 2023
- Designer
- Iranian defense industry; exact design bureau not publicly confirmed
- Designed
- Developed before the November 2019 USS Forrest Sherman interdiction; exact design start not publicly reported
- Unit cost
- Not publicly reported
- Produced
- In production by 2019; exact production span not publicly reported
- Number built
- Not publicly reported; official U.S. accounts document eight missiles seized in the 2019 and 2020 Arabian Sea interdictions, with later component and missile batches also reported
Specifications
- Role
- Loitering surface-to-air missile for slower aerial targets such as UAVs and helicopters
- Length
- Roughly 9 ft, based on recovered examples described in defense reporting
- Propulsion
- Ground-launched with a booster phase and an air-breathing cruise or sustainment engine; public sources describe the air-breathing stage as a compact turbojet or cruise motor
- Guidance and sensors
- Recovered examples show inertial navigation, air data, and gyro components; public official sources do not firmly resolve the terminal seeker method
- Airframe features
- DIA compares the Houthi Saqr and Iranian 358 as having front and rear fins in an X-shaped orientation plus a similar engine arrangement
- Launch and transport
- Reported by U.S. Army T2COM as shipped in three parts and launchable after assembly from mobile positions such as small trucks
- Known limitations
- U.S. Army T2COM describes poor performance against fast-moving targets but effectiveness against helicopters and some UAVs
- Documented components
- CENTCOM identified air data computer, INS, and vertical gyro components in seized 358 missiles; DIA later reported 358-labeled inertial navigation systems and air data computers interdicted in January 2024
Variants
Public sources use several overlapping labels for the same Iranian loitering SAM family; official U.S. reporting commonly uses 358, while Houthi displays use the Saqr name.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| 358 missile | U.S. designation and common open-source label | CENTCOM and DOJ identify interdicted examples as Iranian-designed or Iranian-manufactured 358 surface-to-air missiles. Sources: U.S. Dhow Interdictions, United States Prevails in Iranian Missile Forfeiture Actions |
| Saqr | Houthi display designation | DIA compares the Houthi Saqr SAM with Iranian 358 examples displayed in Tehran and interdicted en route to Yemen. Sources: Seized At Sea: Iranian Weapons Smuggled to the Houthis |
| Saqr-1 | Houthi parade designation | Iran Watch describes the Saqr-1 surface-to-air missile displayed by the Houthis as the Saqr designated 358 by the United States. |
Timeline
Saqr / Project 358 surface-to-air missile Key Events
USS Forrest Sherman seizure
CENTCOM says the November 2019 Arabian Sea interdiction included five near-fully assembled Iranian-designed and manufactured 358 surface-to-air missiles assessed as intended for the Houthis in Yemen.
Sources: U.S. Dhow Interdictions
USS Normandy seizure
CENTCOM says the February 2020 USS Normandy cache included three Iranian-designed and manufactured 358 surface-to-air missiles, while DOJ later described the two seizures as part of an IRGC-linked Houthi-bound shipment network.
Sources: U.S. Dhow Interdictions, United States Prevails in Iranian Missile Forfeiture Actions
HMS Montrose interdictions
The UK Ministry of Defence reported that HMS Montrose seized Iranian weapons from speedboats south of Iran in January and February 2022, with technical analysis identifying a batch of 358 surface-to-air missiles.
Sources: UK Reveals Royal Navy Seizure of Smuggled Iranian Missiles
Saqr and 358 public displays compared
DIA compared a Houthi Saqr displayed in Sanaa with an Iranian 358 shown in Tehran and an interdicted 2020 missile, noting closely matching fins and engine features.
Sources: Seized At Sea: Iranian Weapons Smuggled to the Houthis
358-labeled components interdicted
DIA reported that inertial navigation systems and air data computers interdicted in January 2024 carried 358 labels associated with the Iranian 358 surface-to-air defense missile system.
Sources: Seized At Sea: Iranian Weapons Smuggled to the Houthis
National Resistance Force seizure claim
AP reported that Yemen's National Resistance Force claimed a late-June 2025 seizure of Iranian-supplied weapons bound for Houthi forces, with released footage appearing to show Iranian-made Type 358 anti-aircraft missiles among the captured materiel.
Sources: Yemen Fighters Claim Seizure of Iranian-Supplied Houthi Weapons
Design and Launch Notes
Official interdiction reporting shows the missile as a modular loitering SAM rather than a conventional canisterized point-defense weapon. CENTCOM identified air-data, inertial-navigation, and gyro components in seized 358 missiles, while U.S. Army T2COM describes the missile as shipped in three parts and assembled for launch from mobile ground positions.
DIA's 2024 comparison ties the Houthi Saqr name to the Iranian 358 by matching front and rear X-oriented fins and engine layout across displayed and interdicted examples. The exact terminal seeker method remains less certain in public official sources.
Media
Saqr / Project 358 surface-to-air missile Videos
Saqr / Project 358 surface-to-air missile Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
U.S. Dhow InterdictionsPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use context: 358 missiles were assessed as being transferred to the Houthis in Yemen through maritime smuggling; also supports Iranian-origin background and interdicted missile imagery. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Yemen's Houthis Employ Iranian 358 Loitering Anti-Aircraft MissilePublisher: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, T2COM Operational Environment Enterprise | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use context: Project 358 was fielded by Yemen's Houthi-led military forces for air-defense use against UAVs and helicopters. | Accessed: 2026-07-02What Air Defenses Do The Houthis In Yemen Actually Have?Publisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports background and specifications for the 358/Saqr design, including Houthi service, approximate length, loitering concept, component set, and target-set limitations. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Iran: Enabling Houthi Attacks Across the Middle EastPublisher: Defense Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports official U.S. background on the 358/Saqr comparison and Iran-linked Houthi missile and UAV capabilities. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Seized At Sea: Iranian Weapons Smuggled to the HouthisPublisher: Defense Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use context: DIA says the Houthis have used the Saqr to attack U.S. UAVs in Yemen; also supports 358/Saqr visual comparison, September 2023 display context, and 358-labeled component background. | Accessed: 2026-07-02United States Prevails in Iranian Missile Forfeiture ActionsPublisher: U.S. Department of Justice | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use context: DOJ says the 2019 and 2020 Arabian Sea seizures included eight surface-to-air missiles and alleged the arms shipments were part of an IRGC network transferred to the Houthi movement in Yemen. | Accessed: 2026-07-02UK Reveals Royal Navy Seizure of Smuggled Iranian MissilesPublisher: UK Ministry of Defence | Note: Supports later interdiction context: UK MOD says HMS Montrose seized Iranian weapons in January and February 2022, including a batch of 358 surface-to-air missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Iran Solidifies Missile Support to the HouthisPublisher: Iran Watch | Note: Supports background on Houthi display of the Saqr-1 designation and Iran-linked Houthi missile proliferation context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Yemen Fighters Claim Seizure of Iranian-Supplied Houthi WeaponsPublisher: Associated Press | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use context: AP reported a claimed late-June 2025 seizure of Iranian-supplied weapons bound for the Houthis, with footage appearing to show Type 358 anti-aircraft missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02CENTCOM 358 Missile Components ImagePublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports image provenance for the USS Forrest Sherman 358 missile component slide and identifies the image as U.S. Central Command imagery. | Accessed: 2026-07-02CENTCOM Three-Five-Eight Surface-to-Air Missiles ImagePublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports image provenance for the USS Normandy 358 missile component slide and identifies the image as U.S. Central Command imagery. | Accessed: 2026-07-02