Yemen Rights Group Reveals over 30,000 Child Soldiers Recruited by Houthis

A Yemeni boy poses with a Kalashnikov at a Houthi rally in Sanaa in July 2017. (AFP)
A Yemeni boy poses with a Kalashnikov at a Houthi rally in Sanaa in July 2017. (AFP)
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Yemen Rights Group Reveals over 30,000 Child Soldiers Recruited by Houthis

A Yemeni boy poses with a Kalashnikov at a Houthi rally in Sanaa in July 2017. (AFP)
A Yemeni boy poses with a Kalashnikov at a Houthi rally in Sanaa in July 2017. (AFP)

The Yemeni Coalition of Independent Women (CIY) revealed that Houthi militias have continue to brainwash children in order to recruit them to their fighting ranks.

CIY’s revelations came as a reminder of the thousands of violations carried out by the Iran-allied group against the children of Yemen.

During a virtual session, Dr. Wissam Basandouh, a political activist, pointed out that the number of indoctrinated child soldiers fighting for Houthis has reached over 30,000, all of whom are aged under 15.

In his opening remarks, Basandouh said that Houthis persuade poverty-stricken parents with money and then process the children through seminars that indoctrinate them into the Houthi sectarian agenda and ideology. After being brainwashed, child soldiers are sent to fight on the frontlines instead of going to school.

German counterterrorism expert, Dr. Yan St. Pierre drew parallels between Houthis and terrorist groups in how they recruit children during times of war, noting that the militias have recently exploited the coronavirus pandemic to close schools and recruit more minors.

US-based lawyer in the field of human rights and national security, Irina Toshkerman stressed the need for international organizations to play a greater role in fighting the child soldier phenomenon in Yemen and to bring the violations committed by Houthis to international courts.

Yemeni human rights activist, Dr. Arwa Al-Khattabi stressed the importance of the United Nations and specialized organizations to exert pressure on the militias to stop the recruitment of children.

Khattabi warned that if child recruitment continues, the international community will wake up to a major catastrophe, which is the establishment of a terrorist ideological army that is no different from ISIS and al-Qaeda.

In recent months the Houthis have mobilized their leaders in local communities under Houthi control to recruit more child soldiers, human rights sources confirmed.



Influential Far-right Minister Lashes out at Netanyahu over Gaza War Policy

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
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Influential Far-right Minister Lashes out at Netanyahu over Gaza War Policy

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sharply criticized on Sunday a cabinet decision to allow some aid into Gaza as a "grave mistake" that he said would benefit the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Smotrich also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to ensure that Israel's military is following government directives in prosecuting the war against Hamas in Gaza. He said he was considering his "next steps" but stopped short of explicitly threatening to quit the coalition, Reuters reported.

Smotrich's comments come a day before Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Washington with President Donald Trump on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day Gaza ceasefire.

"... the cabinet and the Prime Minister made a grave mistake yesterday in approving the entry of aid through a route that also benefits Hamas," Smotrich said on X, arguing that the aid would ultimately reach the Islamist group and serve as "logistical support for the enemy during wartime".

The Israeli government has not announced any changes to its aid policy in Gaza. Israeli media reported that the government had voted to allow additional aid to enter northern Gaza.

The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The military declined to comment.

Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid for its own fighters or to sell to finance its operations, an accusation Hamas denies. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe, with conditions threatening to push nearly a half a million people into famine within months, according to UN estimates.

Israel in May partially lifted a nearly three-month blockade on aid. Two Israeli officials said on June 27 the government had temporarily stopped aid from entering north Gaza.

PRESSURE

Public pressure in Israel is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. An Israeli team left for Qatar on Sunday for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

Smotrich, who in January threatened to withdraw his Religious Zionism party from the government if Israel agreed to a complete end to the war before having achieved its objectives, did not mention the ceasefire in his criticism of Netanyahu.

The right-wing coalition holds a slim parliamentary majority, although some opposition lawmakers have offered to support the government from collapsing if a ceasefire is agreed.