Drinking water supplies dwindle in Yemeni city besieged by Houthi rebels

Key Points:

• Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, faces a severe water crisis as Iran-backed Houthi rebels besiege it, cutting off access to wells, fuel for desalination plants, and water deliveries, forcing residents to ration water and pay significantly higher prices.
• The siege has also caused shortages of food and fuel, driving up prices and disrupting essential services like hospitals, sanitation, and waste collection, increasing public health risks including potential disease outbreaks.
• Since August, Taiz province has absorbed about 124,000 displaced people from other conflict areas, further straining limited resources and worsening living conditions for residents and displaced families.
• The Houthis control about 80% of the countryside around Taiz and some neighborhoods within the city, aiming to capture the strategic city to advance southward, but face strong resistance from government forces and the challenge of a large civilian population.
• Civilians in Taiz endure daily violence, with recent missile strikes killing children and ongoing fighting forcing families into unsafe living conditions, while many cannot afford to leave due to high travel and housing costs.