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Inside Yemen's front-line city as Houthis battle for control
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Intense fighting is ongoing near Taiz in south-western Yemen, with Saudi-backed government forces clashing with Houthi fighters who recently captured the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha, escalating the civil war.
- The Houthis have gained control over territory near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital shipping corridor, causing global concern over potential disruptions to oil supplies and contributing to rising oil prices.
- Civilians near the front lines face severe hardships, with many homes abandoned and families displaced; some remain behind to tend livestock despite constant shelling and fear of further violence.
- Both sides are preparing for major offensives, with the Houthis employing drones supplied allegedly by Iran, while reports indicate the use of child soldiers by the Houthis despite UN commitments to end the practice.
- The humanitarian situation is dire, with hospitals overwhelmed by casualties, thousands displaced to camps, and UN agencies warning of potentially hundreds of thousands more forced from their homes in the coming months.
