World

Houthi Rule Drives Yemeni Children into Conflict, Global Threat Escalates

By Alkhadher Sulaiman

Nearly eight years after a warning about a generation of Yemeni children growing up under Houthi rule, the situation has worsened. Children born under Houthi control are now being recruited to fight, with schools and summer camps used for indoctrination and military training. The United Nations Panel of Experts on Yemen and the U.S. Department of Labor documented these practices. UNICEF reports that disrupted schooling has severe effects on learning, emotional development, and mental health.

The threat extends beyond Yemen. Recent attacks in Aden, Hadramout, Shabwa, and Saudi Arabia highlight the urgency of international action. In Aden, an October 15 attack on Maashiq Palace and a subsequent October 21 strike on the airport increased fear in the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. In Hadramout, October 21 strikes hit Al-Rayyan International Airport in Mukalla, damaging a military base and threatening civilian infrastructure. In Shabwa, an October 19 missile attack on the Al‑Alam training camp killed dozens and injured more than 200, according to the governor.

Saudi airports have also suffered. An October 10 strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people and disrupted international travel. These incidents demonstrate that missiles continue to reach cities, airports, and vital infrastructure, revealing the failure of current diplomatic efforts.

Yemen’s National Defence Council designated the Houthis a terrorist organisation in October 2022, and the United States designated them a Foreign Terrorist Organization effective March 5, 2025. The Houthis signed a UN action plan in April 2022 to end grave violations against children, including recruitment, but Human Rights Watch reports continued child recruitment.

A credible response must disrupt illicit weapons supplies and financing, strengthen civilian protection, defend maritime navigation, and impose targeted consequences on those directing and enabling abuses. Humanitarian assistance and legitimate commerce must remain protected. Children should not pay twice: first for Houthi repression, then for measures intended to confront it.

UNICEF’s child protection work in Yemen includes psychosocial support and reintegration assistance. Preventing recruitment means giving children and their communities a viable future. North and South Yemen face immediate dangers, and Saudi Arabia and international shipping have already felt the consequences. No government should assume that a threat left to grow will remain geographically contained. Nearly eight years after the warning, another generation cannot be asked to wait. International policy must finally match the established threat.