Our analysis of the video published by the Houthi militia on November 1, 2023, indicates that the missile used to target Israel is the Burkan-3, a new and advanced variant of the Houthi’s Burkan ballistic missile series. The Burkan-3 missile is reported to have a range of up to 1,200 kilometers, making it capable of reaching targets deep within Israeli territory.
The Burkan-3, also known as Borkan-3, was first seen in August 2019 in a video released by the Yemeni Houthi rebels. Open-source information at the time suggested that the missile was used to attack Dammam city in Saudi Arabia, although no such attack was confirmed.
Technical analysis of the Burkan-3 reveals that it is most likely a variant of the Iranian Qiam missile but with longer propellant tanks and a smaller warhead mass. This design change, combined with the notorious inaccuracy of most Scud variants, indicates that the Burkan-3 is essentially a terror weapon rather than a precision-guided weapon. The reduction in payload required to achieve its longer range diminishes its accuracy and impact.
The newer Burkan-3 differs from its predecessor, the Burkan-2H, in several ways. The Burkan-2H is a member of the Scud family which seems to be based on the Iranian Qiam 1/Scud-C. Its re-entry vehicle is conical, with a smaller diameter at its base than the missile. The Burkan-3 has a diameter of 0.88 meters and is considerably longer than the Qiam/Burkan-2H. It features a shorter re-entry vehicle and guidance sections similar to the Qiam, but its propellant tanks are longer, with a combined length of about 1.1 meters. This design allows for a larger propellant mass and longer burn time.