{
  "id": 16073769,
  "title": "Houthi recruitment gatherings are legitimate military targets, Yemen warns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/houthi-recruitment-gatherings-are-legitimate-military-targets-yemen",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-22T17:01:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/22/houthi-recruitment-gatherings-are-legitimate-military-targets-yemen-warns/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Yemeni government has issued a warning to residents of Houthi-controlled areas, advising them to avoid attending gatherings organized by the Iran-aligned militia. These gatherings, which are used to recruit children and young people as fighters, will now be considered legitimate military targets. The Defence Ministry stated that the Houthi militia utilizes various pretexts such as tribal mobilisation, mass gatherings, and cultural courses to carry out recruitment activities. US Charge d’Affaires Neil Hop condemned the practice, stating, \"Children everywhere deserve a real childhood, not brainwashing into the Houthi cult of death.\" Hop also alleged that Houthi leaders target ordinary Yemeni children rather than their own, referring to them as \"zanabeel.\" The government's warning emerged as tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia escalated, with the Houthis claiming to have attacked key Saudi facilities in recent days.",
  "summary": "Yemen 's government on Thursday warned residents of Houthi -controlled areas against attending gatherings organised by the Iran-aligned militia, saying they were being used to recruit children and young people as fighters. “Any gatherings of this kind will be considered legitimate military targets,” the Defence Ministry said. The ministry said the Houthis used events held under the pretext of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Two civilians killed from Houthi attacks in Yemen’s Taiz",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/two-civilians-killed-from-houthi-attacks-in-yemens-taiz",
        "published": "2026-10-22T03:55:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Egypt calls for Yemen talks as parliament weighs military support to Saudi Arabia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/egypt-calls-for-yemen-talks-as-parliament-weighs-military-support-to",
        "published": "2026-10-22T18:46:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}