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Child Casualties from Houthi Landmines Increase Eight-Fold in Yemen

Houthi landmines that have been removed by Saudi Arabia's Masam project in Yemen. (Masam)
Houthi landmines that have been removed by Saudi Arabia's Masam project in Yemen. (Masam)
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Child Casualties from Houthi Landmines Increase Eight-Fold in Yemen

Houthi landmines that have been removed by Saudi Arabia's Masam project in Yemen. (Masam)
Houthi landmines that have been removed by Saudi Arabia's Masam project in Yemen. (Masam)

Children remain the greatest casualties of mines planted arbitrarily by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in residential areas in Yemen.

A child is wounded or killed by a landmine once every two days, found a recent study by Save the Children. The number of victims has risen eight-fold from 2018 to 2022.

Despite a year of calm in Yemen, the research said child casualties from Houthi landmines increased during the April to October 2022 truce in the country.

“One child has been killed or injured on average every three days for the past five years by landmines and other explosive devices,” it said, adding that during last year’s truce, one child was killed or injured on average every two days by landmines or other explosive devices, the highest rate in five years.

Titled “Watching Our Every Step,” the study analyzed data from January 2018 to November 2022 and found that children in Yemen are facing the highest risk in five years of encountering landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), such as artillery shells, grenades, mortars, rockets and bombs.

Save the Children said child casualties from landmines or unexploded ordnance rose to 199 in 2022 – or 55% of overall children casualties – compared to 68 in 2018 which was 7% of overall child casualties, rising as families returned home during a six-month UN-brokered truce to contaminated land.

In its study, the non-government operated organization found that children in Yemen are at risk of encountering landmines and explosive remnants of war while engaging in everyday activities such as playing, collecting firewood and water, and tending to livestock and they may lack the experience to identify or avoid them.

It said almost half of all landmine and explosive remnants of war incidents involving children were deadly.

The report also found the proportion of child injuries and deaths caused by these explosive devices increased during the six-month UN-brokered truce last year as people returned home to areas that had been battlefields.

Save the Children Deputy Country Director for Yemen Ashfaq Ahmad said: “As the country enters its ninth year of conflict, this report is a stark reminder of the devastating impact the war is having on children, Yemen's most vulnerable population.”

He added that the fact that more and more children are being killed and injured by landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

“We cannot continue to stand by and watch as children's lives are torn apart by these horrific weapons,” Ahmad stressed. “The situation in Yemen is truly horrific. All parties to the conflict must prioritize the protection of children and ensure that they are no longer exposed to the risks posed by landmines and other explosive devices.”

The study also found that with the health system on the verge of collapse and few qualified rehabilitation specialists in Yemen, children injured by explosives do not have access to the long-term care needed to recover their mobility, return to school, and reintegrate into community life.

It warned that children living in displacement camps are more at risk of getting hurt by explosive devices due to a lack of mine risk education and being in areas at high risk of floods.

Most common child injuries treated by Save the Children included amputation of upper or lower limbs and hands, as well as loss of sight and hearing. In some cases, incidents led to permanent disability due to shrapnel and injuries to the spine.

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Arab World

Aoun Urges Rubio to Pressure Israel to Halt Attacks on Southern Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during an interview with AFP at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on September 15, 2026. (AFP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during an interview with AFP at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on September 15, 2026. (AFP)
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Aoun Urges Rubio to Pressure Israel to Halt Attacks on Southern Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during an interview with AFP at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on September 15, 2026. (AFP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during an interview with AFP at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on September 15, 2026. (AFP)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a phone call on Thursday from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which they discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region in light of recent developments.

The call addressed the situation in southern Lebanon amid ongoing Israeli attacks. Aoun asked Rubio to pressure Israel to halt the attacks, commit to the framework agreement, cease bulldozing and land-clearing operations, and allow farmers to access their fields.

Aoun stressed that the Lebanese Army and security forces are fully carrying out their duties in implementing decisions related to preventing armed presence, confiscating weapons and ammunition, and combating smuggling, noting that measures taken over the past few days fall within this framework.

The president stressed that judicial authorities are following up on all files referred to them, underlining zero tolerance for perpetrators and the application of laws without favoritism.

Rubio told Aoun that he should not return several hundred kilograms of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities from Hezbollah, a US official said.

"He urged Aoun to hold accountable all those who ordered, financed, and directed the shipment, and underscored that returning explosives to Hezbollah should be out of the question," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

A Hezbollah MP acknowledged on Thursday that a 500-kilogram shipment of explosives seized last week by Lebanese authorities belonged to the group, a rare admission by the Iran-backed party.

"The vehicle and its cargo belong to the resistance" against Israel, lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said.

He said Hezbollah also called for the immediate release of those arrested over the seizure.

Fadlallah demanded the return of the shipment, seized on a road linking eastern Lebanon to Beirut, saying it constituted "capabilities" used by Hezbollah against Israel.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said the state will no longer tolerate any possession of "illegal weapons".

A judicial source told AFP the explosives were seized from a vehicle that was carrying 250 kilograms of TNT and 250 kilograms of the explosive C-4.

Salam has said authorities will "identify all individuals involved in this criminal operation and those who ordered it".

He said Lebanese people would be concerned by the seizure, especially since C-4 has previously been used in political assassinations in Lebanon.

At the beginning of this decade Hezbollah was accused of carrying out several political killings.

The group, which once dominated political life in Lebanon, has been weakened by two wars it waged against Israel since 2023.

Arab World

Al-Malki Warns Houthis to Read Coalition Statement Carefully

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki speaks during a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday (AP)
Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki speaks during a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday (AP)
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Al-Malki Warns Houthis to Read Coalition Statement Carefully

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki speaks during a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday (AP)
Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki speaks during a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday (AP)

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the Arab Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, warned the Houthis against targeting civilians and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia, saying coalition forces were fully capable of confronting missiles, drones and cruise missiles.

 

Speaking at a news conference in Riyadh on Thursday evening, al-Malki urged the Houthis to halt attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in the kingdom.

 

“The terrorist Houthi millitias must stop their attacks on civilians in Saudi Arabia, and they should carefully read the coalition’s statement — and between the lines,” he said.

 

Al-Malki said the Houthis had obtained advanced technology with the help of regional parties, enabling them to acquire ballistic missiles, attack and suicide drones and explosive-laden fast boats.

 

He said the development placed responsibility on the international community to prevent terrorist groups from gaining access to advanced weapons and technology.

 

“The leadership of the coalition’s joint forces affirms that its operations will continue to deter the terrorist Houthi millitias from attempting to target civilians and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia and from threatening freedom of navigation in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait,” he said.

 

Al-Malki also reaffirmed support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government and armed forces “on all fronts,” along with round-the-clock air support for units on the ground.

 

19 killed, 364 injured

 

Al-Malki said Houthi attacks on airports in the kingdom had killed 19 people and injured 364, adding that 1,104 missiles and 1,135 drones had been launched since operations began.

 

He said Houthi attempts to target Islam’s two holiest mosques reflected a systematic hostile approach and amounted to a “heinous act” aimed at pilgrims and visitors.

 

According to al-Malki, Houthi violations since the 2022 truce included about 175 ballistic missiles, 330 drones, 2,229 projectiles launched from drones and 28,121 unidentified projectiles.

 

He stressed that Saudi Arabia had the intelligence capabilities to identify targets and confront threats.

 

“We have the capability to deal with these missiles, drones and cruise missiles,” he said.

 

During the news conference, al-Malki showed footage of coalition aircraft striking ballistic missile launchers, weapons depots and facilities he said the Houthis used to support military operations.

 

He said coalition forces had also neutralized an imminent ballistic missile attack on the kingdom.

 

Attacks threaten passenger safety

 

Al-Malki condemned Houthi attacks on civilians and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, noting that thousands of passengers and civilians use such facilities every day.

 

He also pointed to attempted attacks on airports, ports and oil facilities in the kingdom.

 

Al-Malki said Houthi attacks on civilians were a flagrant violation of international norms, adding that attacks on airports “undermine the kingdom’s security, threaten international air traffic and endanger the lives of passengers of various nationalities.”

 

He said the coalition had destroyed 127 storage facilities in mountainous areas and a launch platform in Yemen.

 

Al-Malki said the Houthis had built mountain storage facilities concentrated in Sanaa, Saada and Amran, from which attacks were launched against Yemen and neighboring countries.

 

“The leadership of the coalition’s joint forces is working to dismantle this network and eliminate the experts and operators behind these capabilities by destroying mountain storage facilities and fixed and mobile launch platforms, based on an intelligence system operating around the clock,” he said.

 

Saudi defense systems on high alert

 

Al-Malki said the Saudi armed forces had advanced, highly combat-ready systems, including air defenses capable of intercepting threats and thwarting attempted attacks.

 

He said the systems were designed to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty, security, strategic assets and holy sites, as well as citizens and residents.

 

“We have the capability to identify the locations used by the Houthi militias, and we are working to dismantle the terrorist network and eliminate the experts involved,” he said.

 

Al-Malki again stressed the coalition’s strict commitment to international humanitarian law, saying it had taken all feasible precautions to avoid civilian casualties or damage while planning operations to neutralize Houthi capabilities used in attacks.

Arab World

Araghchi Aide in Beirut Assesses Concerns of Shiite Duo

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri receives Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in Beirut (EPA)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri receives Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in Beirut (EPA)
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Araghchi Aide in Beirut Assesses Concerns of Shiite Duo

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri receives Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in Beirut (EPA)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri receives Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in Beirut (EPA)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun coincided with the arrival in Beirut of his aide, Saeed Khatibzadeh, as Tehran moved to reassert its presence in Lebanon after a prolonged absence.

Well-informed Lebanese sources said the Iranian push came amid differences with Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam over their approach to Lebanon, while Tehran also sought to contain tensions caused by the withdrawal of Mohammad Reza Sheibani’s credentials as Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon.

Araghchi and Aoun agreed on the need to support diplomatic solutions as the best way to end conflicts in the region, according to the Lebanese presidency.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Araghchi told Aoun Iran remained committed to the Iranian-American “memorandum of understanding” and to implementing all its provisions, including one calling for an end to wars on all fronts, Lebanon among them.

He blamed the United States for the failure to implement the agreement, accusing Washington of imposing “impossible conditions whenever we come close to implementing it” and saying mediators had continued trying to persuade it to return to negotiations rather than threaten renewed war.

Political message

The sources said Araghchi’s call was intended to send a political message that Tehran remained present in the Lebanese file and that “the tension caused by the withdrawal of Ambassador Sheibani’s credentials is now behind us.”

They said the issue no longer blocked renewed contact with Aoun, who, along with most Lebanese political forces, remains committed to the “framework agreement” and has no intention of replacing it with the Iranian-American “memorandum of understanding.”

Hezbollah’s opponents, meanwhile, viewed Khatibzadeh’s Beirut visit as primarily Shi’ite-focused and aimed at assessing the concerns of the “Shiite duo,” Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.

The sources said that explained his meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah’s leadership.

The contrast in tone was clear.

Diplomacy dominated Araghchi’s call with Aoun. Khatibzadeh, by contrast, spoke in much harsher terms.

He was quoted as telling journalists that “negotiations are pointless, and we are preparing for the worst-case scenarios,” and that direct talks between Lebanon and Israel would lead nowhere because Israel was “an occupying entity.”

He said Israel wanted to use negotiations as a first step toward expanding its dominance across the region and ultimately achieving what is known as “Greater Israel.”

“As long as the Israeli occupation remains in southern Lebanon, the resistance will remain, weapons will continue to be necessary, and anyone who cares about Lebanon’s interests should support this approach,” he was quoted as saying.

Asked about ties between Iran and Hezbollah, Khatibzadeh said the relationship was “not hierarchical, from the top down,” and that Iran did not interfere in Lebanese affairs, which were “left to the Lebanese themselves.”

He also claimed that “Hezbollah does not ask us what it should do, but it sometimes asks us how it can be more steadfast and tougher in confronting the enemy, while avoiding asking us about Lebanon’s internal affairs.”

Iran-US negotiations

Khatibzadeh also addressed Iranian-American negotiations, saying there was little prospect of an agreement.

“The chances of reaching an agreement are, so far, nonexistent, as shown by previous experience when Washington launched a war against us while negotiations were still underway,” he was quoted as telling journalists.

He also pointed to differences within the United States, saying one camp did not want to implement the provisions of the “memorandum of understanding,” while another had sought an agreement.

“The administration of US President Donald Trump is suffering from internal fragmentation. Otherwise, had it honored its commitments, we would have reached an agreement,” Khatibzadeh said.

He added that the United States’ power had been broken and would be broken again.

Asked about the direction of events in the region, he said “Political realism requires us to say that, until further notice, we have the right to prepare for the worst-case scenarios in the face of American threats.”

Iran’s relations with Syria

On Syria, Khatibzadeh said Iran was “in no hurry.”

“We are ready to communicate with Syria when it decides to do so. It is currently going through a sensitive and dangerous phase, and Türkiye committed a strategic mistake and contributed to the Israeli-American ‘puzzle,’ one result of which was that Syria handed Israel a gift,” he said.

The sources said, therefore, that Khatibzadeh’s meetings in Beirut reflected no change in Iran’s position.

His remarks, they said, were meant to stress Tehran’s adherence to its existing stance, which largely aligns with Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem’s rejection of the “framework agreement.”

The sources asked whether Khatibzadeh had carried a message aimed largely at stirring opposition to the “framework agreement,” without naming it directly, in contrast with Araghchi’s emphasis to Aoun on diplomatic solutions.

Araghchi’s diplomacy was thus met by a much harder line from his aide, raising the question of whether Khatibzadeh was conveying a message closer in substance to the position of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards than to that of the political camp Araghchi represents within the Iranian establishment.

Otherwise, the sources said, he would not have needed to make statements amounting to interference in Lebanese affairs, the kind of positions that have fueled the tensions still weighing on Lebanese-Iranian relations.

Those positions have been firmly rejected by a majority of Lebanese who support the “framework agreement” and back Aoun’s diplomatic approach after Hezbollah pursued the military option, leaving the country with incalculable human and material costs.