11 Yemeni Children Fall Victim to Houthi Shelling, Landmines

Yemeni army soldiers during a military parade in Marib province, Yemen (AFP)
Yemeni army soldiers during a military parade in Marib province, Yemen (AFP)
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11 Yemeni Children Fall Victim to Houthi Shelling, Landmines

Yemeni army soldiers during a military parade in Marib province, Yemen (AFP)
Yemeni army soldiers during a military parade in Marib province, Yemen (AFP)

Houthi militia attacks and their landmines have resulted in the deaths of 11 children in separate incidents in the Yemeni provinces of Hodeidah and Taiz, according to official and human rights sources.

These incidents occurred at a time when residents in the province of Amran (north of Sanaa) discovered a mass grave for 16 individuals who were executed by the Houthis in 2010 during their war with the government in the Harf Sufyan area.

Yemeni human rights sources also reported that the militias launched a mortar attack on civilians in the Wadi Nakhla area of the Hays district, south of Hodeidah. This attack resulted in the injury of five children.

In a statement on Wednesday, the human rights organization “Mayyun” said that targeting these children while they were herding livestock with mortar shells constitutes a blatant violation by the Houthis of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international humanitarian law.

The organization called for an immediate halt to these horrific violations and ensuring that the perpetrators do not escape punishment. It urged the United Nations, the UN envoy to Yemen, and UNICEF, as well as human rights organizations, to condemn the crime and take a strong stance against it.

The condemnation of the attack on Hays district in Hodeidah province came hours after a government statement reported the killing of a child and the injury of five others due to an explosion of a landmine planted by the Houthi militias in the Shoukan area of the Mawiyah district in Taiz province.

The director of the district, Abduljabar Al-Sarari, reported that a 15-year-old child named Arafat Abdo Ghalib was killed, and five others were injured in varying degrees as a result of the explosion of the landmine.

The victims were herding livestock in the area. Those injured in the blast were promptly transported for medical treatment.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance in Yemen (MASAM) reported that its teams have cleared 4,899 landmines, shells, and unexploded ordnance planted by the Houthi terrorist militia in several liberated governorates.

They also cleared an area of 752,681 square meters during the month of June.



Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.