Houthis encircle new target in conflict with Saudi-backed forces

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1. 1h ago

   Houthis Tighten Siege on Taiz as Regional Conflict Escalates

   Iran-backed Houthi rebels are tightening their siege on Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, leaving civilian lifelines at severe risk amid dwindling food and fuel supplies. Recent strikes in the city have killed two teenage girls after a shell struck a residential area. The escalation in Taiz coincides with wider fighting across Yemen that has included a missile strike on a military camp killing 73 new recruits, according to a senior Yemeni government official. Regional tensions have also spiked as Houthi drone and ballistic missile attacks target Saudi infrastructure, prompting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to re-enter the conflict.

   Why it matters

   The renewed military coordination between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates follows mounting Houthi pressure that threatens Riyadh's regional ambitions and economic standing. Western security interests are increasingly viewed as tied to the outcome of the Yemen civil war, according to the country's former prime minister. Meanwhile, Houthi forces recently captured the strategic islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish in the Red Sea shipping lanes.

   What is confirmed

   • Iran-backed Houthi rebels have tightened their siege on Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city.
   • Houthi strikes on a residential area in Taiz killed two teenage girls.
   • The United Arab Emirates agreed with Saudi Arabia to re-enter the Yemen conflict amid Houthi gains.
   • Houthi rebels captured the strategic islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The United Arab Emirates will reportedly resume payments to Yemeni forces following recent Houthi gains.

   What to watch next

   • Further military developments in the siege of Taiz
   • Official responses and operational updates from the Saudi-led coalition and the UAE
   • Security assessments regarding Red Sea shipping lanes following the Hanish islands seizure
   Sources used for this update (22)

   1. spectrumlocalnews.com — Saudi oil pipeline hit in strikes will be mostly out of service for several weeks for repair
   2. AP News — Fear grips Taiz as Houthi rebels tighten siege of Yemen’s 3rd largest city
   3. timesofindia.indiatimes.com — Saudi Arabia Turns To Iran Amid Houthi Strikes, Dealing Trump A Major Gulf Blow? - Times of India Videos
   4. Financial Times — Houthis encircle new target in conflict with Saudi-backed forces
   5. Reuters — Why is the battle for Yemen's Taiz so important?
   6. The Guardian — Future of western security is at stake in Yemen civil war, says country’s former PM
   7. Yahoo — Houthis call on Yemeni government forces to end fighting in Taiz
   8. The Lufkin Daily News — Displaced Yemeni father Ali Hassan looks on while sitting with his children at a school-turned-shelter in Taiz
   9. The Guardian — Food and fuel run low as besieged Yemeni city braces for Houthi breakthrough
   10. Arab News — Western security at stake in Yemen: Ex-PM
   11. The Times — I was in Yemen as the Houthis advanced. This is what I saw
   12. www.theguardian.com — UAE agrees with Saudi Arabia to re-enter Yemen conflict amid ...
   confidence 90%