Taiz, home to approximately 1 million people, has become increasingly isolated as military operations intensify in the region. The city, which has remained under Yemeni government control since the civil war began in 2014, now finds itself surrounded as supply routes have been blocked. Residents report that basic commodities have become scarce and prices have surged dramatically, creating hardship for ordinary families seeking food and fuel.
The Houthi militant group launched a major military offensive last month targeting Yemen’s Red Sea coast, rapidly seizing over 1,000 kilometers of territory and taking control of the strategically important Bab al-Mandab strait. The advance halted at Taiz, which sits at a crucial crossroads between northern and southern Yemen. If the city falls to the Houthis, the government’s seat in Aden would be cut off from the north. The UN World Food Programme warned recently that the fighting has prevented 800,000 people in the city from receiving essential assistance.
Citizens have responded to the tightening siege by attempting to stockpile goods, but rapid price increases have made this difficult for many. Fuel prices more than doubled in recent days, forcing people to travel on foot rather than by vehicle or public transportation. Educational institutions closed on 4 October out of safety concerns as fighting drew closer to populated areas. Residents describe a city transformed from a busy commercial hub into a largely empty landscape where people venture out only to search for supplies.
While local fighters and reinvigorated government forces announced a counteroffensive two weeks ago to repel the Houthi advance, many residents remain fearful about the city’s prospects. The broader conflict has involved strikes between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemeni government forces. The siege has disrupted daily life entirely, with conversations in homes and workplaces dominated by concerns about the ongoing military situation and survival in the coming weeks.
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