Yemen: Houthi clashes near Taiz leave residents in a 'state of panic'

Fighting between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Yemeni government forces has intensified around the city of Taiz. Residents face growing shortages of food, water and medical supplies as thousands flee their homes. Four months into the fighting in Yemen between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government , clashes are concentrated around Taiz in the country's southwest.

Yemeni authorities have warned civilians of sniper fire from surrounding hillsides. Houthi forces have also largely blocked the delivery of goods to Taiz, which is under the control of government forces. Taiz is Yemen's third-largest city, with a population of around 1 million people.

However, fighting has displaced around 134,000 people in the Taiz governorate region, according to the International Organization for Migration. The governorate accounts for almost half of the more than 319,000 people displaced across western Yemen, the organization said on November 1, 2026.