In an exclusive interview from the IISS Manama Dialogue, Dr. Afrah al-Zouba says the siege of Taiz, child recruitment and attacks on shipping show a movement that has outgrown Yemen’s borders.
Watch the full Counterpoints interview on YouTubeMANAMA, Bahrain: Yemen’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Afrah al-Zouba, has said the Houthi movement poses an international terrorist threat that surpasses organisations such as ISIS, and that lasting peace is only possible if the group surrenders its weapons to the state.
Speaking to Al Arabiya English’s Melinda Nucifora from the sidelines of the IISS Manama Dialogue, the Middle East’s most prominent security gathering, she described a conflict that has spilled across the region. “Houthis are not less terrorist in behaviour or nature than ISIS or al-Qaeda,” she said. “Maybe more than this.”
Taiz: a city cut off
Al-Zouba said Taiz, among Yemen’s most populated areas, has been besieged for 12 years, and that the blockade has intensified. Civilians are being denied water, food, medicine and fuel, putting millions in critical need. The government, she said, is working with UN agencies and the Red Cross to get supplies in, calling the siege a tactic to pressure residents into submission.
She also confirmed that Yemeni forces are investigating allegations that the Houthis used toxic gases against civilians in Taiz. She said there have been registered cases of people showing symptoms consistent with chemical weapons, but stressed that investigations are still under way and that the government is urging the UN to take part. She added that Houthi missile attacks on cities including Aden, Taiz and areas of Saudi Arabia make such claims impossible to exclude.
“We are seeking peace, not the illusion of peace.”
Dr. Afrah al-Zouba, Yemen’s Foreign Minister
Child recruitment
The minister said thousands of children have been pushed to the front lines since the first days of the Houthi offensive. She noted that UN reports have documented hundreds of cases, and that the government holds captured child fighters and cares for them. “The reported cases really break hearts,” she said.
How the threat has widened
The minister’s account, not an independent assessment.
- Yemen: a 12-year siege of Taiz, child recruitment and missile attacks on cities such as Aden.
- Saudi Arabia: Houthi attacks on the kingdom, which she cited as proof the group threatens its neighbours.
- Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab: hundreds of reported attacks on freedom of navigation, raising prices of goods and fuel worldwide.
- Horn of Africa: networking with and training extremist groups, which she called a more advanced chapter of terrorism.
Why disarmament comes first
Asked whether the government will negotiate, al-Zouba said the door is not closed but that the condition is set by UN Security Council Resolution 2216, which requires the Houthis to hand their weapons to the state. The bigger question, she argued, is what to do with a militia whose threat now reaches the region and the world. “They believe in power and in getting more power,” she said, arguing that years of attempts at political settlement had only given the group time to build capability.
She said the Houthis are now using AI in attacks, developing missiles and drones, and networking with extremist groups in the Horn of Africa. Their attacks on navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, she added, are pushing up the price of goods and fuel worldwide.
“If the international community had helped us get rid of the Houthis five years ago, the cost was cheaper than now.”
Dr. Afrah al-Zouba
A challenge to the international view
The minister blamed a long-running narrative, which she attributed to Iranian propaganda, that portrayed the Houthis as a Yemeni faction seeking a share of power. “Houthis are not Yemen,” she said. “They are not representing Yemenis.” She said the international community is now beginning to see the danger of that assumption.
On the United States, she noted that Washington was the first country to designate the Houthis a terrorist group, which has helped restrict funding and weapons, but said the group still finds routes to resources. She said Yemen is in talks with the US, the EU and regional partners and called on more countries to impose designations.
What Yemen is asking for
The minister said Yemeni troops are on the ground and no foreign troops are sought.
A divided government? She says no
Challenged on criticism that the internationally recognised government is divided, al-Zouba said it reflects Yemen’s real multi-party makeup, and that it has a unified military, a single cause and one chain of command. She said the cabinet is on the ground in Yemen and four members of the Presidential Leadership Council are on the front lines.
Asked whether she, as the first woman in a senior cabinet post in Yemen, signals change, she replied: “I believe we are a nation that deserves a better life. We are dedicating everything we have to make this happen, and we will win.”
Two positions on the table
Key points at a glance
- Taiz under siegeTwelve years of blockade, with shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel.
- Chemical allegationsUnder investigation, with the government asking for UN involvement.
- Child soldiersThousands recruited, according to the minister, with UN reports documenting hundreds of cases.
- Conditions for peaceDisarmament under Resolution 2216 before any talks.
- Global reachMissiles, drones, AI and links to extremists in the Horn of Africa.
- Ask of partnersDefence, intelligence, financial and humanitarian support, but no foreign troops.
Full interview transcript (Al Arabiya English, Counterpoints)
[music] Hello and welcome to this exclusive Counterpoints [music] interview. I'm Melinda Newsora coming to you from the sidelines of the IISS Manama dialogue in Bahrain, the Middle [music] East's most influential and high-profile security gathering. [music] And it comes at a time when fighting in Yemen has added to the already unprecedented level of regional conflicts and uncertainty. So, it's a pleasure to welcome to Al Arabia English uh the Yemeni foreign minister, Dr. Afra al- Zuba. Thank you for being on Al
Arabia English. >> Thank you. My pleasure. >> Minister, while of course there is suffering unfortunately across the length and the breadth of Yemen um as the fighting has intensified, it is the situation in Tais that has captured a lot of international attention. Can you update us on the the besieged city at the moment? >> Yeah, thank you so much. So about taz is uh taz is the one of the most populated uh areas in Yemen and it has been under this siege since 12 years. It's as you
just mentioned intensified. How is preventing you know uh citizens from getting their essential needs including water including food, medicine and uh fuel which put the you know millions of people under very critical situation. uh we are trying as government you know to uh arrange with UN agencies and the Red Cross to get some of the supplies to inside the city and uh this is just a way of hot you know uh brutality and criminal mindset to uh uh you know uh put pressure on people to so they can surrendered [music] to their uh you know
uh terrorist attacks. Yemeni armed forces are reportedly investigating allegations that the Houthis have used toxic gases against civilians in ties. Can you comment on that? Do you have any evidence of it? Uh so far we are uh uh doing some uh investigations and calling also UN for doing so and we have also some reports from the from the west coast previously in the battles previously and uh we are not excluding you know any uh possibilities of Houthi doing this because again you know they are attacking civilians and cities with
missiles uh you know like what they have done in in Adan and in T and in Saudi Arabia and other areas and so it's part of their uh practice. >> So there is limitless >> any specific um instances or or evidence that the government is is currently relying on in in recent days in TA or anything that's been unusual. You know there have been uh registered cases of people you know showing uh um symptoms of you know uh chemical uh chemicalbased uh weapons uh uh you know you know so but again we need to to do
uh investigations on this. So this Yeah, >> there are also um accusations of Houthis recruiting children to fight uh in their military operations. Does the Yemeni government have any specific evidence of that? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This is you know reported since the first day of Houthi's attacks in Yemen and we have you know there are they are would say thousands of kids have been recruited to the front you know lines and this has been through the whole years even UN uh reports have
already reported cases you know hundreds of cases of kids now uh they we have you know uh prisoners of kids who were you know with Houthies and uh the the Yemen many government taking care of those kids, you know, and the uh reported cases really broken hearts of of how Houthies are using kids, just pushing them to the front lines, you know, without any uh you know any limitations of doing this. >> You recently said uh that Yemen's internationally recognized government isn't seeking a ceasefire or
negotiations with the Houthis. Uh does that mean that there is only a military solution to this conflict? >> Uh actually we are seeking peace not illusion of peace. What have been done through the last 10 years unfortunately we were very keen to achieve peace in Yemen. But Houthies continue to escalate to use every chance for peace as a chance and station for getting more capabilities to threaten the peace in Yemen. And now they are going beyond Yemen as you can see you know they are attacking the freedom of navigation
hundreds you know of of reported cases all over you know even through the red the Red Sea Babel Mendab or to our neighbor countries like Saudi what happened in Saudi Arabia and the attacks there so again what kind of peace we are seeking you know we are looking for durable real peace and this can't be achieved while there are there is a militia uh you with with limitless that can cross all the border lines or the red lines and uh you know don't put Yemen Yemen's interest on their agenda.
>> So if there is though only a real peace and not an illusion of peace that the Yemen government is is pursuing. Are you interested in in dialogue with Houthies? Is the door open for negotiations? say uh there are uh you know conditions to make this happen and the main condition of this is stated under 20206 the res UN security council resolution which b put you know the you know uh let the the weapons to the state you know as as main condition to sit around the table but the question now is not that
we are going to sit at around the table or no but what to do with such militia that now their their threat it's you know it's it's very clearly it's going beyond Yemen and now they are it's not just a yes it's started from Yemen but it become like a regional and international threat so what should the international community you know do right now is it just to you know continue search for political solution that those people don't believe in peace what they believe in is that power and
getting more power and threat you know all the possibilities for living of Yemenes and not just the Yemen the region and the international uh safety and security. So do you think then that there should be an internationally concerted effort to fight against the Houthis perhaps the same way that the coalition did against Daesh say do you see them in the in the same way that there can't be negotiations does it have to be the wiping out of the Houthis >> see I'm I'm saying this with all uh
sadness that we reach to this point but yes yes Houthi they are not you know less terrorism behavior or nature than ISIS or al-Qaeda. Same and maybe you know you know maybe more than this how is now they are using AI in their attacks. How is they are now developing their capabilities to develop missiles and drones and they are engaging and networking with you know uh ISIS and you know uh terrorist groups in the horn of Africa and fueling the arrest there and training them. So now we are seeing more
advanced chapter of terrorism >> than than than ISIS. So to confirm, to clarify, you're saying that you think the international community should be viewing the Houthis as a more serious international terror threat than they did al-Qaeda or or similar to al-Qaeda and des or doesn't you know recognize Houthis now as terrorist group and see how they within 10 years how they build their capabilities from you know I would say you know a domestic violent group to a a terrorist group that you know going
beyond Yemen borders. So we have problem here. They are attacking and threatening you know the freedom of navigation causing leading to a a higher prices in uh you know goods fuel and also they are attacking the peace and security and you know letting them letting Yemen be as stage and Yemenes as hostages for Houthis. It's it it amplify and show a really the future the nearest future. We are not talking about you know you know tens of years. We are speaking about 10 years. >> So imagine if those if this group left
you know more than 10 years again what we are going to see. We said that if international community have helped us to get rid of Houthies like 5 years ago, the cost was cheaper than now. And if we are you know getting or giving more years for Houthies to develop their you know capabilities other you know couple of years the cost will be much much more higher than if we do it right now. Why do you think the international community is failing to recognize the Houthis as an international problem and not just a
domestic Yemeni issue? Uh this is you know come back to the uh the the the initiation of of this movement and the propaganda that the Iranian regime and their you know uh followers all around the the the international uh media who portrayed Houthies as debrief Yemen groups that you know need just to have a share in you know ruling Yemen or be part of Yemen. that this was wrong. You know, they portrayed Houthi as Yemen and it's it wasn't. Houthis are not Yemen. They are not representing Yemenes. Houthis
they are representing their you know terrorist attacks. They are representing their you know extremism while Yemenes they are as every nation they want to live in peace, prosperity. They want their kids to go to school. They want to enjoy you know their their lives. But Houthies they are dragging Yemen to bore and after war since 10 years since 12 years. So now yes luckily you know we believe that international community uh now realized how dangerous this uh these assumptions that were was built you know
based on uh the the uh uh you know uh Iranian propaganda that supported Houthi in the previous years. The US though has uh declined to uh participate or contribute to broader regional uh defensive efforts against the Houthis. How disappointing is that? Um we know US is half you know uh the first country to uh designate Houthi as a you know a terrorist group and this has helped a lot to cut you know Houthi's uh uh possibilities to get fund and to get you know uh weapons but yet the Houthies still have capabilities to
reach to uh to uh you know uh uh uh resources for terrorism. uh we are looking for other international partners to do so and to to designate Houthis and to limit Houthi's capabilities to reach to fund and you know weapons. Uh so we are considering US government as main partner in this in this effort and we believe that US has a very important prominent role in uh countering uh the the the un unrest in in in Yemen and in the region. But if they can say that Houthies are a terrorist organization,
they can give you the verbal support. But if the US don't back that up with action and contribute to the defense of Yemen, are those words meaningless? Actually uh we are in in discussions with our uh you know partners in the US government and the EU and the region of course and globally and we believe that uh the threat that Houthi is imposing on the uh region and the international peace and security is really uh uh by time getting worse and worse and we uh are noting not trying just to amplify
this. It's really it's you know the facts are speaking uh you know clearly. It's not a hypothetical uh uh you know argument. No, His prove it every day. Houthi prove that they are you know a really a threat uh to uh to the economic you know situation all over the world and also to the peace and security. So what we are saying to our partners that again doing our business now it will be much much more you know cheaper than making it later. >> Who are you directing that message to?
Are there particular countries or particular allies and partners that you think could and should be doing more for Yemen? You know, we are speaking to our partners all over the the the the world and you know, again, luckily uh people uh started to realize how difficult is to lift Houthis weaponized and get such uh you know uh uh um uh qualific you know such uh such abilities to threaten uh to threaten the region. Houthis are indicating Yemeni kids you know days and nights and we are populated nation. We
have millions of our kids in the schools and summer camps under healthy control controlled areas. Those kids with you know very high rate of poverty illiteracy can be a a real threat with the mindset of terrorist group as Houthies. So it's a it's a ready bump to be exploded if not you know supported. We believe that you know supporting the Yemeni government to regain the you know uh the uh um uh control all over Yemen and you know uh gain the the decision the uh the the free its people you know will be the
only solution to make Yemen again a a peaceful uh partner for for international community. >> Can you tell me what that looks like? Does it look like military support? Does it look like financial support? What is Yemen looking for from its partners? >> Uh you know all what you have said. So first of all the Yemeni government uh is now our troops are on the ground. So we don't look for troops on the on the ground. It's our fight and we will do it. We have very courageous people who
are you know sacrificing their lives to save Yemen and Yemenes and also but it's not just our our fight. It's international community fight to you know to save the waters in Babel Mandab and the ritzi and also to prevent houthies from you know networking with the extremists and the terrorist groups. Uh so we are looking for uh you know uh support in defense uh support in our you know coast guard support in information and intelligence financial economic support to the government. uh we are
looking for humanitarian support for the people who are suffering in ties or the people who are fled the areas uh you know due to Houthi's attacks to to the cities under the control of the government. >> I know you have a lot of important bilateral meetings uh so I know we're almost out of time with you. Allow me just a couple of last um final questions. The Yemen government though has been criticized for being divided, for being at times dysfunctional, is internal weakness within the Yemen
internationally recognized government jeopardizing your own ability to have success. >> Uh this is not right. Actually, we the government of Yemen is representing the real fabric of polit the real political fabric in Yemen. Yemen political fabric composed of you know different uh political parties. you know we were we used to be and we will continue to be multi-political uh you know uh uh state uh so you would have everybody in the in the in the structure of the government this is what give Yemen it's its shape you know so
it's inclusivity rather than exclusivity you know side uh effect but the the idea is that what we have right now is we have a unified military uh we have of unified cause. We have a unified you know uh chain of command. Every person in the government or the military are w working you know to defend our people to regain the you know uh control all over Yemen uh borders and we are working hardly to build uh uh partnership with our uh you know partners in the region or in the international community. We are there we
are doing our best. our you know uh cabinet is on the ground uh you know uh four of the PLC members also on the ground in the battlefield you know in the front lines. >> Uh just finally let's end on a very uh brief positive before I let you go. You are the first female to be elected to a senior or appointed to a senior cabinet uh position in Yemen. Are you a sign that there is change on the horizon that there is hope for a progressive future-looking Yemen and that they can put this in the past?
>> Yes, I believe so. I believe we are a nation that deserve, you know, to live uh bitter life. I believe in the rights of our kids for better tomorrow. And uh we are dedicating our lives. We are dedicating, you know, everything we have to make this happen and we will win. >> Minister, it's a pleasure to have you on Al Arabia English. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> And thank you for tuning in to this exclusive [music] counterpoints
interview coming to you from the IIS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain. [music] You can of course catch all of our exclusive interviews on Al Arabia English [music] by finding us on our YouTube channel and across our social media platforms. I'm Melinda Newora. Stay tuned. [music] We'll have more from the Manama dialogue coming up later in the program.
Khurram Ali Raza
World Desk, Faith & Freedom News (FFN). Source video: Al Arabiya English, Counterpoints.
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