Houthi forces impose new siege on Yemen city of Taiz

Houthi forces have launched a new siege on the southwestern Yemeni city of Taiz after capturing territory to the south, according to Al Jazeera and Agenzia Nova. Al Jazeera reported that the Iranian-backed group cut off the main access road to government-held areas, triggering renewed shortages of essential supplies. Agenzia Nova added that Yemeni government forces have stopped in Dhubabi as Houthi troops surrounded the city. [1][3]

The closure of vital supply routes into Taiz has led to worsening shortages of food, water, and cooking gas, France 24 and Modern Ghana reported. Modern Ghana confirmed that fuel shortages have deepened as key transport routes remain completely blocked. Separately, Anadolu Ajansi reported that Houthi forces claimed Saudi aircraft targeted locations in Sanaa, Taiz, and Hajjah. [2][4][5]

Taiz is a major population centre in Yemen that previously endured a severe Houthi siege between 2015 and 2016, Al Jazeera reported. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Houthi forces launched a broad military offensive against the Presidential Leadership Council on 3 September 2026. The Houthis previously seized the highest peak in the Jabal Habashi district of Taiz governorate to block government advances toward the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. [1][7]

The long-running military confrontation over Taiz originally began shortly after the start of the Yemeni Civil War. A key road into the city was opened on 13 June 2024 to partially lift the blockade, but military pressure on Taiz intensified again in September 2026. [6]