Taiz Governor Accuses Houthis of Starving Yemen's Third City

Nabil Shamsan, the governor of Taiz, stated on Friday that Houthi forces are deliberately cutting off the city's essential supplies to force its population into a state of primitive survival. The month-long siege of Yemen's third-largest city has reduced daily water intake to a fraction of what residents require, according to Shamsan's briefing to the international community.

The city requires approximately 35,000 cubic meters of water each day to meet minimum standards. Shamsan reported that Houthi roadblocks currently allow no more than 1,000 cubic meters to reach the city. This drastic reduction has left residents dependent on dwindling stocks, while restaurants have closed due to a severe shortage of fuel. Shamsan described the situation as a return to the stone age as wheat prices soar.

Health and education systems have collapsed under the strain of the blockade. The governor said 1,200 health centers have suspended operations, leaving 1,800 patients without access to necessary dialysis treatment. Schools have closed, impacting hundreds of thousands of children. Since August 1, 64 people have been killed and 173 injured, according to official counts. More than 6,400 newly displaced families, with an average size of seven members, have entered the city to escape fighting in surrounding areas.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi disputed the governor's account, claiming roads remained open for food, medicine, and humanitarian aid. He invited outside observers to verify that no siege existed. Shamsan countered that Houthi forces maintain near-total control of the roads entering Taiz. He said the group has presented the city's 800,000 residents with a choice: leave or die.

Shamsan characterized the conflict as a war of identity rather than a purely military engagement. He accused Houthi forces of replacing local religious leaders in captured villages and altering school curricula. Residents in occupied territories are required to sign loyalty forms to the Zaydi religion. The governor said scores of children are being sent to frontlines in Saada without parental consent. He described the action as a revolution in identity, a phrase he used to distinguish the Houthi strategy from traditional warfare.

The governor noted that shelling has become more frequent and that communication links between the city and rural areas have failed. Houthi forces now control mobile networks, sending messages urging citizens to end their resistance. Shamsan said he was speaking from a location just 2 to 5 kilometers from the frontlines. He stated that mobile networks were completely disrupted and that Houthi forces were eavesdropping on conversations.

Niku Jafarnia, a Yemen researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the renewed efforts to cut off supplies show disregard for civilian lives. She noted that the 12-year siege has involved bombing and starvation tactics with limited adherence to international law. Shamsan said statements of solidarity were insufficient and that the city needed direct access for aid agencies, including the United Nations, to deliver supplies.

The governor vowed that the people of Taiz would continue to resist. He did not provide specific details on the military campaign's status but confirmed the deterioration of conditions. The briefing served as a direct request for international intervention to lift the siege and restore basic services to the city.