Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city with approximately 1 million residents, has experienced a dramatic deterioration in living conditions following the closure of its primary land routes in early October. The city lost access to the Taiz-Al-Turbah-Aden Road when Houthi forces took the town of al-Turbah, and the eastern al-Houban crossing was subsequently closed by government-aligned forces. These closures have created severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies throughout the city.
Families across Taiz are struggling with basic survival needs as prices for available goods have more than doubled. Fuel prices have risen dramatically, with petrol costs quadrupling from 30,000 riyals to 120,000 riyals for a 20-litre container, while cooking gas cylinder prices increased nearly fourfold from 11,400 riyals to 40,000 riyals. Diesel prices have nearly doubled, and transportation costs have surged by 150 percent. Water production in the city has dropped by half, and the cost of water delivered by tankers has tripled since fighting escalated.
Civilians dependent on daily wages have found employment opportunities eliminated by the siege. Those working in local commerce or services have lost income sources, making it increasingly difficult to afford rent, food, water, and fuel. Children face disrupted education and confinement indoors as families restrict movement due to security concerns.
The humanitarian impact extends to healthcare delivery, with the World Health Organization reporting on October 22 that 42 health facilities in Taiz faced severe shortages of fuel, oxygen, medicine, and medical supplies. Patients requiring ongoing treatment, such as those needing dialysis, face exhausting and expensive journeys through closed roads and mountain detours. The United Nations flagged these conditions on October 20, highlighting how road closures and security concerns were blocking vital supplies to the besieged population.
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