Yemen’s Ministry of Defense Declares Houthi Gatherings Legitimate Military Targets

The Yemeni Ministry of Defense has issued a formal warning to citizens residing in Houthi-controlled territories, cautioning them against participating in militia-led gatherings, tribal mobilizations, or ideological indoctrination courses.

In an official statement released on Thursday, the ministry characterized these events as strategic maneuvers designed to exploit civilians. Officials asserted that the Houthi militia utilizes these public assemblies as a pretext to recruit youth and children, subsequently deploying them to active combat fronts to sustain their ongoing military operations.

The ministry further emphasized that these activities serve to mislead the populace, furthering a destructive agenda that prolongs the regional conflict. By categorizing these events as recruitment and mobilization platforms, the government has officially designated all such Houthi-organized gatherings as legitimate military targets.

The Yemeni government has urged all citizens to exercise extreme vigilance and avoid any sites associated with these militia-led activities. The warning serves as a final directive to families to prevent the exploitation of their children and to refrain from supporting the militia’s mobilization efforts, which the government describes as fueling an unsustainable war.