Fighting erupts near Taiz as siege worsens urban conditions

Yemeni government forces and allied Popular Resistance fighters clashed with Houthi forces on the western outskirts of Taiz on Wednesday, 21 October. Euronews reported that the fighting occurred near the old airport and Jabal Han mountain. The internationally recognised government stated that its forces repelled the attack, while launching air strikes against Houthi positions, vehicles, and a missile launchpad surrounding the city. [1][3]

Footage from the scene showed a government tank firing towards Houthi positions while heavy gunfire echoed across the area, Euronews reported. Inside Taiz, Yemen's third largest city, living conditions continue to worsen. Reuters reported that severe water rationing and mounting piles of uncollected rubbish are raising urgent public health concerns and fears of disease outbreaks among local residents. [1][3][5]

The military confrontation in Taiz began shortly after the start of the Yemeni Civil War in 2014. The siege was partially lifted in June 2024 when a major road into the city was opened, but Houthi forces encircled the city again during offensives in 2026. As FTMQ News reported earlier, recent fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces has severed critical supply routes into the city. [8][9][10]

Previous military escalation in the area includes airstrikes by Saudi-led forces targeting Houthi positions around Taiz to break the ongoing encirclement, as FTMQ News reported earlier. Clashes and shelling in recent days have severely restricted civilian access to vital supplies of food, fuel, and medical aid. [10][11]