In recent days, Yemen's Houthis have urged residents in areas under their control to maintain strict silence regarding daily U.S. airstrikes across the country. As part of this effort, they've introduced a code word — "Madri", meaning "I don’t know" — instructing civilians to use it in response to any question about the attacks or their aftermath.
The directive amounts to a sweeping gag order: citizens are forbidden from speaking about or posting the names of targeted regions and sites, with anyone doing so branded a "spy for the U.S. and Israel." While the Houthis see the campaign as a smart move to prevent the publication of American operational successes, critics have turned it into an online joke, mocking the terror group's demand through memes and satirical posts.
Yemeni activists and journalists launched a counter-campaign on social media under the hashtag "The people know, Houthis," a direct challenge to the enforced "I don't know" response.
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Although the Houthis have tried to suppress information, the public is well aware of the strike locations — especially as Houthi-linked outlets, including the Al-Masirah TV channel, continue to report on the targeted areas. Critics argue the silence order is just another step in restricting the freedoms of Yemenis, alongside routine detentions and interrogations carried out by Iran-backed terrorists.
U.S. strikes in Yemen
Participants in the counter-campaign say the Houthis’ policy is a blatant attempt to silence dissent and cover up the extent of the damage from U.S. strikes. They view the gag order as an implicit admission of the significant losses the militia is sustaining, as well as a sign of deep distrust in the local population.
Opponents also reject what they describe as an effort to impose “ignorance” on a public that’s fully aware of the group’s destructive agenda, pointing to growing public anger over corruption, theft and worsening living conditions in Houthi-controlled areas.