Barran Press
The Houthi militia is reportedly enacting forced conscription in Yemen's Hodeidah province. The directive, aimed at bolstering Iranian objectives and confronting what the Houthis term American and Israeli influence, threatens severe penalties, including imprisonment, for those who refuse to comply.
Details emerged Thursday, June 19, 2025, from Ali Hamid Al-Ahdal, Director-General of Hodeidah's Media Office. Al-Ahdal revealed a clandestine meeting in the Al-Mina neighborhood, where Houthi-appointed officials discussed compelling local leaders to enforce mandatory recruitment of youth for combat.
According to Al-Ahdal's social media post, citing "reliable sources," the Houthi leadership emphasized that the "battle for victory for Iran and confronting what they described as American and Israeli arrogance begins in Hodeidah." Sources confirmed threats of strict punishment, including jail time, for non-compliance.
This development follows Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi's June 14 declaration of his group's involvement in the Iranian response to an Israeli attack. Al-Houthi publicly endorsed Iran's stance, stating, "We are partners in the Iranian stance with all we have," and urged regional support for Iran.
The heightened tensions stem from an Israeli offensive on Iran last Friday morning, "Operation Rising Lion," which reportedly targeted Iranian nuclear and military programs, resulting in casualties among Iranian military leaders and scientists, and the destruction of key uranium enrichment facilities.