The Yemeni city of Taiz has descended into a state of famine according to local officials, who describe the situation as a dire humanitarian catastrophe caused by an ongoing siege. Governor Nabil Shamsan, speaking from a location near the front line, stated that the city is currently experiencing famine, noting that the condition is no longer a looming threat but a present reality for the nearly 1 million people residing there.
The crisis in Taiz has been further exacerbated by military escalation. On Thursday, a Saudi airstrike in the western part of the city resulted in at least 13 deaths, according to figures provided by the Houthi-run health ministry. Governor Shamsan reported that since the current offensive began earlier this month, 271 people have been killed and 1,129 others have sustained injuries. He further alleged that civilian infrastructure and emergency services are being targeted, claiming that rescue efforts and ambulances have been subjected to shelling and sniper fire.
The logistical isolation of the city has led to severe shortages of essential resources. According to Governor Shamsan, Houthi forces have seized the city's last external water source, leaving residents with only a fraction of their necessary supply. Furthermore, the total blockage of cooking gas has crippled local food services, forcing many restaurants to shut down and pushing families to rely on wood for fuel. Medical facilities are also under immense pressure, with reports indicating that hospitals have nearly exhausted their supplies of oxygen.
International organizations have expressed grave concern regarding the blockade. The World Food Program stated that it remains unable to reach more than 600,000 people in Taiz who rely on humanitarian assistance for survival, and reports suggest that wheat flour stocks are almost entirely depleted. Human Rights Watch researcher Niku Jafarnia stated that the siege could potentially constitute a war crime, noting that the starvation of civilians is being employed as a method of warfare.
The situation is compounded by a significant influx of displaced persons. According to the United Nations migration agency, approximately 124,000 people have fled to Taiz seeking refuge since August. The city has remained a primary focal point of the Yemeni civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels seized control of the northern regions and the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. Currently, government forces maintain control of the city center, while Houthi fighters control the surrounding roads.
In response to the mounting international criticism, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi rejected allegations of a siege during a televised address on Al-Masirah TV. He characterized the reports as fabricated claims by Saudi Arabia and asserted that humanitarian corridors remain open. He stated that his forces were solely focused on restricting the movement of weapons to what he termed “Saudi-backed militias.”
As the conflict continues, the humanitarian outlook for Taiz remains precarious. With aid groups unable to secure safe passage for supplies and local infrastructure continuing to collapse under the pressure of the blockade and active hostilities, the civilian population faces an increasingly difficult path to recovery.
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