Houthi rebels have completely surrounded the Yemeni city of Taiz, cutting off all access routes and

Houthi Forces Encircle Taiz While Aid Agencies Warn of Humanitarian Collapse

Houthi rebels have completely surrounded the Yemeni city of Taiz, cutting off all access routes and preventing people and essential goods from entering or leaving the urban center, nos.nl reported. The siege leaves approximately 600,000 residents trapped inside the country’s third-largest city, according to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). As fighting intensifies along the active frontlines, basic food supplies, drinking water, and fuel are blocked from reaching the population.

Residents Describe Open-Air Prison Conditions and Street-Level Decay

Wathiq Mahyoub, a resident of Taiz, told Reuters that municipal waste no longer gets collected because fighting prevents trucks from reaching the landfills. Garbage piles up on the streets, threatening rapid disease outbreaks while hospitals struggle to maintain emergency services without diesel for their water pumps and generators. Mahyoub stated: The Houthi’s refused to open the passage for us, even to dump the garbage. Ali Hassan, a 42-year-old resident who sought shelter under a school stairwell with his family, recounted that a Houthi sniper shot crippled his left hand in 2021, leaving him with only his left hand, and that another sniper shot his sister in the spine a month ago while she was herding sheep, leaving her completely disabled.

UNHCR Tracking Surge in Displacement Across Yemen

The humanitarian emergency in Taiz unfolds against a broader wave of displacement across Yemen. UNHCR figures show that more than 250,000 people became displaced nationwide between August 1 and October 17, with roughly half of those individuals sheltering within Taiz and surrounding districts. Ahmed al-Jalal, director of the Executive Unit for Managing Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Al-Muzaffar district, told Reuters that arriving families occupy unfinished buildings and retail shops because no formal camps exist to house them.

Houthi Strikes Kill 73 as UK Jets Support Saudi Arabia

The renewed ground offensive in Taiz accompanies a wider escalation between the Iran-aligned Houthi movement and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which receives military backing from Saudi Arabia. A Houthi ballistic missile strike on a military training camp in Shabwa province killed 73 newly recruited security personnel and wounded more than 200 others. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Andy Burnham deployed Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia for defensive missions to protect Saudi infrastructure from Houthi projectile attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Siege of Taiz

Which military forces control the access roads into Taiz?

Houthi rebel fighters maintain a complete encirclement around Taiz, sealing off entry and exit routes to restrict movement and supplies.

How many displaced people are currently sheltering in Taiz?

According to UNHCR data covering the period from August 1 to October 17, approximately half of the 250,000 newly displaced Yemenites are located in Taiz.

Why are hospitals in the besieged city facing closure threats?

A severe lack of diesel fuel prevents water pumps from operating and leaves medical facilities unable to sustain their emergency and regular departments.