Houthi Militia Deploys Reinforcements, Including Child Soldiers, to Taiz and Lahj Fronts

The Houthi militia has dispatched new military reinforcements towards the front lines in the southern Yemeni governorates of Taiz and Lahj, amidst reports indicating the presence of children among the fighters being sent to the conflict zones.

Activists shared a video on social media platforms, reportedly filmed in Ibb city in central Yemen, showing Houthi fighters on military vehicles en route to the battlefronts in Taiz and Lahj. The footage clearly depicted children among the armed individuals on the military transports, corroborating testimonies about the Houthi militia's recruitment and deployment of minors to front lines within areas under their control.

In parallel military developments, forces from the Tor Al-Baha axis announced on Thursday the foiling of a Houthi infiltration attempt in the Al-Ashbut area of Al-Maqaterah district in Lahj Governorate. This occurred concurrently with repelling an assault launched by the militia on the Al-Akaboush and Al-Ahkoum fronts in Haifan district, south of Taiz.

The media center for the axis stated that forces successfully eliminated a group of infiltrating elements in Al-Maqaterah, while confrontations in the two fronts resulted in casualties among the Houthi militia ranks. It added that warplanes conducted three airstrikes targeting Houthi positions and fortifications in these fronts as part of ongoing military operations to counter Houthi attacks.

The fronts in Taiz and Lahj are currently experiencing a continuous military escalation, with ongoing clashes between government forces and the Houthi militia. These developments raise concerns about a potential expansion of the conflict and its impact on civilians and movement between the governorates.