UN says besieged Yemen city at 'grave risk' as Houthis attack

Two teenage girls were killed in Taiz when Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked a densely populated residential area. Six other people were wounded. The strike damaged homes and civilian areas, making the city’s humanitarian emergency even more visible. Taiz is Yemen’s third-largest city and has faced months of fighting and siege.

Residents were directly affected. Zainab Ali said she returned to find her home destroyed. She said her family consists of orphans and that they did not know what to do. The attack came amid heavy clashes between Houthi forces and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

The latest violence shows that civilians remain exposed as the conflict intensifies. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said residents were at “grave risk.” He called for aid to enter immediately and for civilians who want to leave to be allowed to do so safely.

When a city is under siege, forces surrounding it restrict access to roads, supplies, and sometimes safe passage. The goal is usually to pressure the people or forces inside by limiting what can enter or leave. In Taiz, Houthi forces have largely encircled the city during their offensive against government forces.

The siege has cut Taiz off from most supply routes. The U.N. says many residents lack food and other necessities, while prices have soared. Repeated missile and artillery attacks add another danger, especially in densely populated neighborhoods and near civilian infrastructure.

The result is both a military and humanitarian crisis. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk urged the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces to allow aid into the city. He also said civilians wishing to leave must be allowed to do so freely and safely. The article gives no indication that those conditions have been secured.

The two recent attacks caused at least 75 deaths and more than 206 injuries, counting the figures reported separately in the article. The Taiz residential strike killed two teenage girls and wounded six people. The al-Alam military-camp attack killed 73 recruits and wounded more than 200 others.

These incidents affected different groups. Civilians were hit in Taiz, where the attack damaged a densely populated residential area. At al-Alam, recruits were attacked while lining up for a training session. Videos analyzed by The Associated Press showed motionless bodies on the camp’s sandy ground.

The combined total is a minimum because the camp report says “more than 200” wounded. The al-Alam strike was described by a senior Yemeni government official as the deadliest Houthi strike since fighting resurged over the summer. The Associated Press reported the figures but did not independently verify every government claim.

The siege makes ordinary life harder by restricting both supplies and movement. Houthi forces have largely encircled Taiz and cut it off from most supply routes. The U.N. says many residents are without food and other necessities, while prices rise. This places civilians at risk even when they are not directly hit by shelling.

The pressure works through isolation. Fewer roads and routes remain available for food, medicine, and other goods. Repeated missile and artillery attacks make travel more dangerous. Civilians who want to leave may also face barriers or unsafe passage. The article describes Taiz as under monthslong attack and siege.

U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk called for humanitarian aid to enter immediately and for its passage to be facilitated. He also demanded that civilians be allowed to leave freely and safely. Until access improves, shortages, high prices, and exposure to attacks are likely to continue, deepening the humanitarian crisis.

Taiz is important because it is Yemen’s third-largest city and a central battleground in the country’s civil war. Control of the city affects population centers, supply routes, and the ability of rival forces to operate across the surrounding area. Its large civilian population also makes prolonged fighting especially dangerous.

The Houthis became able to besiege Taiz through a monthslong offensive against forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government. They have largely encircled the city, cutting it off from most supply routes. They have also repeatedly targeted Taiz with missiles and artillery. Government forces claimed they stopped Houthi attacks in several areas, but the Associated Press could not independently verify that claim.

The surrounding forces have created a prolonged humanitarian emergency. The U.N. says residents face shortages and soaring prices. Türk urged both sides to avoid explosive weapons near civilians and infrastructure, while calling for immediate aid access and safe civilian departures.

The Houthis are an Iran-backed rebel movement fighting Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The government is the country’s recognized national authority and is supported by Saudi Arabia and a wider Saudi-led coalition. The article presents the Houthis as holding territory, including Sanaa, while government forces contest that control.

Their immediate aims can be seen in the fighting. Houthi forces have attacked government positions, besieged Taiz, and launched missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia. Government forces are trying to repel those attacks and retain or recover territory. Saudi Arabia backs the government and is also trying to protect its cities from Houthi weapons.

The conflict is therefore both a Yemeni power struggle and a regional confrontation. Britain promised defensive air patrols for Saudi Arabia, and Egypt planned air-defense support subject to parliamentary approval. The United States offered logistical backing but ruled out sending troops for a ground battle, according to Tom Barrack.

A civil war becomes regional when local forces receive sustained help from governments outside the country. Those outside powers can provide weapons, training, intelligence, logistics, air defenses, or airstrikes. Local groups then become linked to wider rivalries. Attacks may also cross borders, turning a domestic struggle into a direct security issue for neighboring states.

Yemen shows this mechanism clearly. Iran backs the Houthis. Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government and leads a coalition. The Houthis have launched missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia, while government and coalition forces struck Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport in July. Britain plans defensive patrols, and Egypt plans air-defense help.

The outside support can expand the battlefield without necessarily sending ground troops. The United States says it will provide logistical backing to Saudi Arabia but not troops for a ground battle. The article describes Yemen as a widening front in the Iran war and says the regional conflict has intensified since the 2022 ceasefire broke down.