Houthis Attack Besieged Yemeni City as UN Warns of Grave Risks
Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a deadly strike on a residential area in Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, on Tuesday. The attack killed two teenage girls, wounded six others, and severely damaged homes in a densely populated neighborhood. The incident underscores escalating dangers for civilians trapped inside Taiz, which has faced a prolonged siege and offensive by the rebel group.
United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk warned Tuesday that the Houthi siege has largely encircled Taiz, cutting off essential supply routes, driving up prices, and placing residents at grave risk. Türk called for immediate humanitarian access to the city, the safe passage of civilians wishing to leave, and an end to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
The violence in Taiz follows a heavy Houthi missile strike on a government military camp on Monday that killed 73 recruits and wounded over 200 others. The renewed fighting marks a sharp escalation in Yemen's civil war, which intensified after strikes on Sanaa International Airport in July shattered a 2022 ceasefire. In response to widening regional tensions, international allies including Britain and Egypt have moved to bolster Saudi defenses against Houthi drone and missile attacks.
