Yemen seeks urgent global help as Houthis tighten Taiz

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 29, 2026

Youthi forces have encircled the city of Taiz, cutting off water supplies and intensifying attacks that have heightened civilian casualties and displaced nearly half of the province's recent internal migrants. This siege worsens Yemen’s humanitarian crisis by blocking essential aid and resources, prompting calls for international intervention to limit Houthi weapon access and reopen critical supply routes.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has called for urgent international assistance as Iran-backed Houthi rebels tighten their grip on the city of Taiz, exacerbating a growing humanitarian crisis. The government warns that intensified fighting and a blockade imposed by the Houthis have severely restricted access to essential resources, including water, and increased civilian casualties in the contested southern province.

Taiz, a strategic hub linking Yemen’s southern regions, has become a key frontline in the ongoing conflict. Governor Nabil Shamsan reported that Houthi forces have surrounded the city on all sides following the deployment of additional rebel reinforcements. He stated that the city’s water supply, previously stemming from wells in the Wadi Al Dhubah area, has been cut off as the Houthis gained control over the territory, leaving residents without access to approximately three million liters of water.

The province of Taiz has also absorbed nearly half of the recent internally displaced persons, further straining local resources amid the siege. Yemen’s legal affairs minister, Eshraq Al Magtari, disclosed that Houthi fighters have launched over 2,000 projectiles and explosives targeting neighborhoods within Taiz in recent days. She urged the international community to take measures to restrict the Houthis’ acquisition of weapons and funding, while calling for efforts to reopen critical roads to facilitate aid and civilian movement.

The humanitarian situation has been worsened by continuing aerial assaults. Houthi-run Health Ministry officials reported that a market near a petrol station in Al Hazm, the capital of northern Al Jawf province, was hit by Saudi-led coalition air strikes on Tuesday, resulting in 13 deaths and 16 injuries. No response was immediately provided by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government regarding the incident.

Elsewhere, in the southern port city of Aden, an Associated Press reporter described explosions that damaged airport facilities and nearby residences, further illustrating the fragile security conditions in government-held territories.

The escalating violence around Taiz and other strategic locations highlights the ongoing struggle for control between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthi movement, which receives backing from Iran. The intensification of hostilities threatens to deepen the humanitarian emergency affecting millions across the country.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.