Yemen Declares Houthi Recruitment Events Legitimate Military Targets Amid Escalating Conflict

Yemen's government issued a stern warning on Thursday to residents in Houthi-controlled regions, advising them against attending gatherings organized by the Iran-aligned militia. The government stated that these events are being exploited for the recruitment of children and young individuals as combatants. The Ministry of Defence declared, “Any gatherings of this kind will be considered legitimate military targets.”

The ministry further elaborated that the Houthis utilize events disguised as tribal mobilizations, mass assemblies, cultural courses, and other activities to recruit fighters. Residents were urged to abstain from these gatherings and to prevent their children from being exploited and endangered.

Neil Hop, the US Charge d’Affaires in Yemen, echoed these concerns, accusing the Houthi movement of recruiting and forcing children to fight on the front lines. He called for an immediate cessation of this practice, stating in a video shared by the US embassy in Yemen, “Children everywhere deserve a real childhood, not brainwashing into the Houthi cult of death.” Mr. Hop highlighted reports and videos documenting the recruitment of Yemeni children from schools and streets for deployment, exposing them to fatal risks and lasting psychological trauma.

He also accused Houthi leaders of targeting children from ordinary Yemeni families instead of their own, noting that the group refers to these children disparagingly as “zanabeel.” “It is wrong and it has to end,” Mr. Hop asserted, adding, “Tell the little Ayatollah to stop recruiting Yemen’s children for his war,” in reference to the Houthi leader.

This government advisory coincides with heightened hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, which is leading a coalition supporting the Yemeni government. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks targeting the Saudi Defence Ministry in Riyadh, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, an Aramco site in Yanbu, and Abha International Airport within the preceding 48 hours. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed the use of ballistic missiles and drones in these operations. Saudi Arabia reported two fatalities from an attack on the Dammam airport, and two additional deaths and two injuries from debris following the interception of a drone near an oil processing plant at Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oilfield.

The Saudi-led coalition announced on Thursday the interception and destruction of five drones in the Riyadh and Madinah regions. Mr. Saree issued a warning that any Saudi threat to target Yemeni tribes would be met with a response, suggesting the group might employ “major options” previously held in reserve. “If it carries out this threat, the consequences will be catastrophic and unforeseen,” he stated, though it remained unclear if this referred to the Yemeni Defence Ministry's warning about Houthi-organized tribal gatherings. He vowed that attacks on Saudi Arabia would persist until the perceived aggression and blockade against Yemen were halted.