Houthi forces tighten siege of Taiz as families shelter amid worsening humanitarian crisis

Oct 16, 2026

Iran-aligned Houthi forces have encircled Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, cutting off major access routes and trapping nearly 600,000 residents amid an escalating civil war. Over 121,000 people have been displaced in Taiz governorate, where hospitals face severe shortages of fuel, oxygen, and medical supplies. In response to Houthi missile strikes on Saudi airports and Aden's presidential palace, the Saudi-led coalition destroyed over 120 Houthi storage depots as Yemeni government forces launched counteroffensives near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Houthi siege and fighting near Taiz

▪Houthi fighters engaged Yemeni government forces in heavy combat around al-Dhabab and al-Shaqab near Taiz on October 12 and 13, 2026.
▪Iran-allied Houthi forces encircled and laid siege to Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, by cutting off the main road south to Aden.

Diplomatic warnings over Taiz siege

▪Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah Al Zouba sent a letter to UN officials warning that the siege of Taiz could trigger a humanitarian disaster affecting over four million people.
▪The European Union urged Houthi forces to lift the siege of Taiz and permit food, water, medicine, and fuel to enter the city.

Dawn of Yemen counteroffensive

▪Yemeni government forces repelled a Houthi advance west of Taiz city and retook ground in Sabr al-Mawadim and al-Sarari as part of the 'Dawn of Yemen' operation.
▪Yemeni government forces launched the 'Dawn of Yemen' counteroffensive to retake territory along the Red Sea coast near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Yemeni Deputy Foreign Minister stance

▪Yemen's Deputy Foreign Minister Mustafa Al Noman warned that halting military operations would prove disastrous for the population and grant the Houthis a significant advantage.
▪Yemen's Deputy Foreign Minister Mustafa Al Noman stated that the government has no choice but a military solution against the Houthis, rejecting political negotiations.

Displacement crisis in Taiz

▪UN migration agency spokesperson Zoe Brennan stated that 233,077 people have been displaced in the latest Yemeni conflict, including 121,530 in Taiz.
▪Executive Unit director Ahmed al-Jalal stated that displaced families in Taiz are sheltering in unfinished buildings, shops, and structures lacking basic essentials.

Humanitarian shortages in Taiz

▪Taiz residents reported severe shortages of fuel and food along with garbage piling up on streets due to Houthi blockades of city crossings.
▪The World Food Programme reported that wheat flour stocks in Taiz are nearly exhausted, threatening food access for 600,000 residents reliant on aid.
▪World Health Organization spokesperson Tarik Jašarević warned that 12 hospitals in Taiz face shortages of oxygen and medicine with only about four days of fuel remaining.

Red Cross medical reports

▪International Committee of the Red Cross health coordinator Feras Abusamra stated that trauma care staff face enormous pressure as few Yemeni health facilities provide comprehensive trauma care.
▪The International Committee of the Red Cross reported that front-line hospitals in Marib, Taiz, and the Red Sea coast admitted over 700 weapon-wounded patients in a single week.

Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia

▪Houthi missile and drone strikes targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh 20 times, killing up to 17 people and injuring over 300.
▪Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced strikes on a Saudi Aramco building in Dhahran that caused a limited fire without casualties.
▪Following Houthi attacks on Riyadh, Saudi authorities shut down King Khalid International Airport, and organisers postponed a planned summit of Gulf and EU leaders as well as a golf tournament.
▪A Houthi attack on Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia killed up to three people and wounded 28 others.

Saudi-led coalition air operations

▪The Saudi-led coalition conducted airstrikes destroying 127 Houthi mountain storage facilities and launch platforms in Yemen.
▪Saudi-led coalition spokesman Maj Gen Turki Al Malki stated the coalition would maintain around-the-clock air support for Yemen's armed forces to deter Houthi attacks.

Statements by Houthi spokesman

▪Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed Saudi Arabia carried out over 274,000 airstrikes in Yemen over the past 12 years, including more than 2,350 during the recent escalation.
▪Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that his group maintained the right to act until Saudi Arabia ended its aggression and blockade against Yemen.