A Houthi Basij: Militias Begin Building an Auxiliary Force to Replace Their Losses

Military sources said that “the Houthi militias approved a new mobilisation plan in recent days after suffering casualties in battles against southern forces in Al-Sabiha and along the Bab al-Mandab axis, as well as on the front lines around Taiz city”.

What Is the Auxiliary Force?

According to the sources, “the militias adopted a recommendation submitted by Iranian experts to establish an auxiliary popular army, deployed according to operational needs. It would consist of recruits capable only of handling personal firearms, who would undergo just ten days of intensive training in the use of automatic weapons”.

The sources said the militias had also begun recruiting fighters in exchange for “two months’ salary paid immediately upon joining, with each fighter receiving a Kalashnikov rifle that would become their personal property after 90 days of fighting on the front lines”.

They accused the militias of “exploiting the poverty they created in areas under their control to recruit thousands of fighters, offering meagre monthly salaries of less than $70 per person”.

A Houthi “Basij”?

The sources said “the Iranian proposal centres on establishing a force resembling Iran’s Basij, with a planned initial strength of 100,000 fighters. Preparations are underway across all militia-controlled areas, including recently captured territory in Taiz and Hodeidah governorates”.

They added that “the Houthi militias have formed committees in every governorate, bringing together military, tribal and security leaders to implement the new mobilisation plan and establish the formation”.

The sources said “the militias reviewed field reports documenting casualties in their ranks, including personnel described as terrorist operatives and senior leaders. With no clear timeframe for the fighting to end, they continue to sustain heavy losses within the command structure that forms the elite of their organisation”.

The Iranian recommendations to establish an auxiliary Houthi force followed Iranian experts’ examination of these reports, reportedly prompting urgent moves to implement the proposals.

According to the same sources, the militias have prioritised Hodeidah, Raymah, Taiz, Ibb and Al-Mahwit governorates for the new recruitment drive. These would be followed by the tribal governorates from which they have recruited for years: Saada, Hajjah, Sanaa, Dhamar and Amran.

Observers believe the plan clearly reflects the Houthis’ severe difficulty in replacing losses among their elite units and trained, ideologically committed fighters. These forces have suffered heavy blows and prolonged attrition on the western coast’s front lines, extending to Al-Sabiha, Bab al-Mandab and Taiz.