In war-torn Yemen, the Houthis have weaponized desperation and terror through an extraordinary tool: the Zainabiyat, an all-female militia tasked with oppressing women and fueling the Houthi war effort. Under the guise of “supporting Gaza,” these women have become enforcers of terror, coercing donations, recruiting child soldiers, and perpetuating atrocities against vulnerable women and girls.
The Zainabiyat’s activities paint a chilling picture of exploitation masked as solidarity. Reports reveal forced participation of women and girls in “Support Gaza” events, where attendees are compelled to surrender their jewelry and money. While ostensibly aiding the Palestinian cause, these funds enrich the Houthis’ war machine. Living in abject poverty, many Yemeni women see their last resources stripped away by intimidation and outright violence.
The Zainabiyat are not merely fundraisers; they are agents of a systemic campaign of repression. Reports from human rights organizations describe their involvement in arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual assaults in secret detention centers. Their reach extends beyond Yemen’s borders, with training reportedly provided by Iranian and Lebanese operatives. This collaboration highlights the broader regional connections between the Houthis and Iran’s Shiite axis, mirroring patterns seen in Hezbollah’s operations in Lebanon.
Witness accounts from Sana’a illustrate the oppressive nature of these operations. Women recall home invasions and threats to coerce their participation. Teenage girls, too, have been targeted for recruitment under the pretext of supporting the Houthi cause. This calculated exploitation taps into Yemen’s deeply entrenched patriarchal norms, using cultural and religious pretexts to justify oppression.
The Houthis’ appropriation of religious and political narratives further deepens their manipulation. Events organized under the banner of Fatimah al-Zahra’s birthday—an occasion revered in many Muslim countries—have been weaponized for propaganda and recruitment. Far from empowering women, these activities entrench them in a system of subjugation and violence.
The exploitation of the Palestinian cause adds another layer of cynicism. Many Yemeni women have expressed outrage at the pretense that their donations benefit Gaza, knowing that these resources are diverted to fund local conflict and enrich Houthi leadership. This betrayal underscores the Houthis’ strategy of leveraging global narratives to mask local corruption and oppression.
The Zainabiyat are emblematic of the Houthis’ broader strategy, which mirrors the tactics of other Iran-backed groups. By intertwining ideology, repression, and militarization, the Houthis reinforce their grip on power while aligning themselves with Tehran’s regional ambitions. This alignment raises questions about the role of international actors in perpetuating or countering such dynamics.
The Houthis’ use of the Zainabiyat underscores the intersection of gender-based violence, political exploitation, and regional power struggles in Yemen’s protracted conflict. The international community must confront these atrocities not only as human rights violations but as a deliberate strategy of war. Accountability for the Zainabiyat’s actions and broader Houthi policies is crucial to addressing Yemen’s crisis and curtailing the influence of regional actors who enable such exploitation. Only by addressing these systemic issues can justice be served and genuine support extended to the people of Yemen.
