Yemen : Houthis Tighten Siege on Taiz as Humanitarian Conditions Worsen, Financial Times Reports
- 2026-10-17
- 20:13:38
TAIZ — Yemen's Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) has intensified its siege of the city of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest urban center, blocking key supply routes and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis, according to a report published by the Financial Times.
The newspaper cited local residents as saying that fighting around the city escalated rapidly in recent days, leaving many civilians with little opportunity to flee to safer areas. Residents reported that only a limited number of vehicles and trucks are able to enter the city through the southern approaches, and only with significant difficulty.
“Escaping now is dangerous because we would have to cross the frontline,” one Taiz resident told the Financial Times. “But if it were safe, I would rather leave than stay here under these horrific conditions, waiting for fighting to erupt in the streets at any moment.”
The report highlighted the growing economic impact of the siege, noting that many drivers have lost their livelihoods due to a sharp rise in fuel prices since the tightening of restrictions around the city. Fuel transport trucks have reportedly become unable to reach Taiz safely, further disrupting supplies and commerce.
The deteriorating situation has raised alarm among humanitarian organizations. In its latest warning issued on October 14, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said it was unable to deliver assistance to more than 600,000 people in Taiz who depend on humanitarian aid, including over 200,000 women and children.
The WFP added that the total number of people cut off from its assistance had reached 800,000 when accounting for those affected by aid disruptions along Yemen’s western coast since September.
The agency warned that wheat flour stocks in affected areas are nearing depletion and that remaining food supplies in local markets may not last long if access restrictions continue.
According to the WFP, 10 of Taiz’s 16 districts had previously been classified under Phase 4, or the “Emergency” level, of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), indicating severe levels of food insecurity.
In an operational update released on October 16, the WFP confirmed that it had suspended activities in several districts across Mokha, Turbah, and Taiz due to ongoing clashes. At the same time, the agency said it had expanded emergency assistance over the past month to reach more than 120,000 people in two areas of southern Yemen hosting displaced populations.
Humanitarian agencies continue to warn that prolonged fighting and restrictions on access could further exacerbate food shortages, displacement, and civilian suffering across Taiz and surrounding areas.