UN Warns Taiz Residents in Danger as Houthi Siege Cuts Food Supplies

• by Shimanta Das
• October 24, 2026

The United Nations has issued a stark warning that residents of Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, are in grave danger as a tightened Houthi siege cuts off food supplies and other essential goods. Taiz has been a major battleground between the Iran-backed Houthis and the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed Yemeni government since the war began in 2014. The Houthis have besieged the city since 2015, but earlier this month they escalated their blockade by seizing control of the last main road connecting Taiz to other government-held areas. This development is part of a broader offensive launched by the Houthis in early September to seize key territory along Yemen’s south-western Red Sea coast.nnAll main entrances to the city have been blocked, according to the UN, which warns that if the siege continues and access remains blocked, there will be casualties from missiles, hunger, and disease due to lack of water across the entire city. The humanitarian situation is already dire, with a cholera outbreak and aid cuts further compounding the crisis. Vaccination coverage in Yemen is critically low, estimated at only 45 per cent for each of the two recommended doses, increasing the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. The UN agency is working with the Yemeni government to strengthen surveillance, testing, and treatment, but its 90-day emergency response is critically underfunded.nnThe siege has also disrupted the delivery of food and medical supplies, leaving residents increasingly vulnerable. The UN has called for immediate access to the city to provide life-saving assistance. The Houthi offensive along the Red Sea coast threatens to further destabilise the region and exacerbate the already catastrophic humanitarian situation. With over 20 million people in need of aid across Yemen, the international community is urged to step up funding and pressure the warring parties to allow unimpeded humanitarian access.nnIn conclusion, the UN’s warning underscores the urgent need for action to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Taiz. The combination of the Houthi siege, cholera outbreak, and aid cuts has created a perfect storm of suffering for civilians. The international community must act now to ensure that food, medicine, and other essential supplies can reach those in need before it is too late.</strong