Houthis abduct, indoctrinate kids to believe they are fighting Jews, Yemeni journalist tells 'Post'

A Yemeni journalist who worked in Houthi-controlled territory for a decade tells the 'Post' that the Houthis forcibly recruit children as young as 12, threatening families with death, and indoctrinate them to believe they are fighting Jews and Zionists. The journalist says the Israel-Hamas War provided a 'good excuse to recruit,' with war videos played to children. He estimates tens of thousands of children have been enlisted since October 7, 2023.

A Yemeni journalist who spent a decade working in Houthi-controlled territory, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals against his colleagues, told The Jerusalem Post that the Houthis are forcibly recruiting children as young as 12 to fight in their war against Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-backed government. The journalist explained that the Houthis threaten families with death, imprisonment, or punishment if they refuse to enlist, and indoctrinate children to believe they are fighting Jews and Zionists. He said the Israel-Hamas War provided a 'good excuse to recruit,' with videos of the war in Gaza regularly played to children to incite them against Israel. The journalist estimates that tens of thousands of children have been enlisted since October 7, 2023, and noted that children aged 12 to 15 have been captured attempting to fight government forces, proclaiming they had traveled to the front to fight the Jews. He added that the Houthis' ideology includes a belief in a 'divine right to govern the world,' which makes a peace agreement impossible. The journalist also noted growing resentment among Yemenis toward the Houthis and the Palestinian cause, as the group's actions have caused economic damage and isolated Yemen.