The Houthi rebels in Yemen have introduced a disputed weapons-training programme for high school and university students in areas under their control, alarming parents and educators about its implications.
The initiative is called Al Aqsa Flood, the name used by Palestinian militants in Gaza for their attack on southern Israel in October last year, and includes lectures and practicals on the use of weapons. It has been introduced by the rebel group, also known as Ansar Allah, across the provinces it holds, ostensibly to prepare youth for a potential military confrontation.
"I lost control of my son," said the mother of Yaman, 14, who joined the programme despite his parents' objections.
A high school pupil at a private school, Yaman first brought home a letter seeking parental approval for his participation. "We wrote that we did not agree, but they influenced him and convinced his friends, and Yaman went with them," his mother said.
She said school officials assured parents that the training was purely defensive, but she fears there is a deeper agenda.
The Houthis have been repeatedly accused of recruiting child soldiers throughout the civil war that broke out in 2015, either through financial incentives or coercion. Large-scale clashes have largely subsided, with the conflict appearing to have settled into a stalemate in recent years, the Houthis control provinces in the north of Yemen and along the Red Sea coast, while the internationally recognised government holds the south.
"We told him the end of this training is the fronts. But he doesn’t listen to us anymore," Yaman's mother said. "We’re afraid if we pressure him, he’ll leave us and join them."
University freshman Ayman, 19, said participation in the weapons-training sessions was being tied to academic grades. "They told us if we didn’t attend, we’d fail basic subjects," he said.
The course, which is being introduced in private and government institutions alike, comprises 12 lecture sessions followed by practical training at a camp, running from morning until early afternoon.
Teachers are also caught in the crossfire. Moaz, a 24-year-old teacher, described the mounting pressure on students to participate.
"At first, they used incentives like financial rewards or weapons. Then they resorted to intimidation, accusing those who refused of disloyalty," he said.
While some school principals insist on parental consent, the overarching influence of the Houthis limits their ability to shield students.
Amira, a mother of a high school student, spoke of her struggle to counter the persuasive tactics used in the programme.
"Every Saturday, a man in military uniform lectures the students, convincing them to attend weapons-training. He tells them that studying will be useless if the enemy comes. I’m terrified he’ll believe them and join," she said.
Female university students are also being told to attend the lectures, or face academic penalties. Amira’s nieces, enrolled in a private university, said they were threatened with being barred from their courses if they did not.
Al Aqsa Flood marks a shift from previous Houthi-led initiatives, which focused on ideological lectures and sermons by its leader Abdul Malek Al Houthi. Now, the training includes hands-on training with weapons, armoured vehicles and tanks, targeting youths mostly aged 15 to 20.
It comes as the Houthis carry out a campaign of missile and drone attacks on Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea allegedly linked to Israel and the US, its main ally. The attacks, which the Houthis say are in support of Gaza in the face of a devastating Israeli military retaliation to the attacks last October, have led to several rounds of air strikes on Houthi-linked targets by the US, UK and Israel.
Some areas, such as Hajjah and Ibb, report widespread participation in the training course. At the launch of the programme’s third phase in Hajjah, a coastal province on the Red Sea, Governor Hilal Al Sufi described it as preparation for a broader battle. "This is about confronting the American, Israeli and British enemy," he declared, emphasising the need for a "jihadist and Quranic culture" to defend Yemen and the Palestinian cause.
Mr Al Sufi praised the progress achieved in earlier phases, which reportedly had tens of thousands of participants. He called on Yemenis to align with revolutionary leadership and prepare for what he termed a "holy jihad and the promised conquest".
As the programme expands, so do concerns about its impact on Yemen’s youths. Parents worry about losing their children to a militarised future, educators fear retaliation for non-compliance, and students are conflicted by coercion disguised as patriotism.
Families such as Yaman’s and Amira’s are left grappling with impossible choices. "We just want our children to focus on their studies, not on war," Amira said. "But how can we protect them when even schools have become battlefields of influence?"
