Houthis Strangle Water Supply to Yemen's Taiz

Houthi rebels are cutting off drinking water to Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, driving humanitarian groups to warn that over a million residents face a severe crisis. The blockade has restricted access to wells, halted fuel deliveries to desalination plants, and blocked water trucks from entering the city. This comes as the rebels escalate their conflict with government forces, tightening their grip on the area.

The siege has caused water prices to spike, with bottled water costing 75% more than it did weeks ago. Some families are buying water on credit to survive. Fuel shortages are also crippling sanitation services and hospitals, while food prices have surged, with flour and rice up 50% since the summer. Cooking gas prices have more than quadrupled, forcing some families to burn wood or cardboard for fuel.

Taiz has been a focal point of Yemen's civil war since 2014, when the Houthis took the north and forced the government into exile. The current crisis escalated last month when rebels captured the port city of Mokha, 130 kilometers away, and advanced on Taiz. As they seized territory, residents lost access to nearby wells, and outside deliveries dropped. Truckers who still make the dangerous trip have in some cases tripled their rates.

The conflict has displaced roughly 124,000 people to Taiz province since August, with some living in makeshift shelters and surviving on one meal a day. Fuel shortages have shut down community kitchens and waste collection, increasing the risk of disease, including cholera. Amnesty International urged the Houthis to open roads immediately, warning that the city is at the 'brink of a severe humanitarian disaster.'

The government still holds the center of Taiz, but analysts say the siege complicates resupplying its forces. Ahmed Nagi of the International Crisis Group said any attempt to seize parts of the city would likely mean 'a prolonged and costly battle.' Three Houthi officials, speaking anonymously, claimed control over 80% of the surrounding countryside and several neighborhoods, a claim that could not be verified.

For residents, the danger is immediate. Houthi missiles struck a residential area this week, killing two teenage girls. Ahmed Abdel Gaber, displaced with nine relatives, hears explosions daily and relies on donations for food. Hadil al-Shahid, who had to close her hair salon, cannot afford to leave. 'Staying in our home is inevitable,' she said, 'whether it be a matter of life or death.'