Houthis sending Taiz ‘back to the stone age’, governor of besieged Yemen city says

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1. 1h ago

   Houthis sending Taiz back to stone age, governor warns

   The governor of Yemen's besieged city of Taiz states that Houthi actions are driving the area backward, while the United Nations urges humanitarian access amid ongoing fighting. Medical facilities across Yemen are buckling under escalating conflict as severe shortages threaten civilians. Human Rights Watch reports that the Houthis are depriving Taizz civilians of vital food and medicine. The militant group maintains an active campaign in the region, operating as part of the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance and continuing extensive military engagements despite international condemnation.

   Why it matters

   The Houthi movement emerged in northern Yemen during the 1990s as a Zaydi revivalist and Shia Islamist political and paramilitary organization. The group has played a central role in Yemen's civil war and faces international criticism for human rights abuses, including the targeting of civilians and the use of child soldiers. Their ongoing siege of Taiz compounds a broader humanitarian crisis that continues to strain regional health systems and disrupt local populations.

   What is confirmed

   • The Houthis are officially known as Ansar Allah and operate as a Zaydi revivalist and Shia Islamist political and paramilitary organization.
   • The Houthi movement emerged from Yemen in the 1990s under the leadership of Hussein al-Houthi.
   • The Houthis are backed by Iran and are widely considered part of the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance.
   • The group has faced widespread international condemnation for human rights abuses, including targeting civilians and using child soldiers.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The governor of Taiz stated that the Houthis are sending the besieged city back to the stone age.

   What to watch next

   • Developments regarding United Nations efforts to secure humanitarian access to Taiz
   • Changes in the severity of food and medicine shortages for civilians in besieged areas
   • Potential responses from international bodies to the deteriorating humanitarian and medical conditions in Yemen
   Sources used for this update (13)

   1. www.bbc.com — Who are the Houthis in Yemen and what do they want?
   2. www.aljazeera.com — Houthis | Today's latest from Al Jazeera
   3. www.theguardian.com — Who are the Houthis – explained in 30 seconds - The Guardian
   4. en.wikipedia.org — Houthis - Wikipedia
   5. simple.wikipedia.org — Houthis - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
   6. The Guardian — Houthis sending Taiz ‘back to the stone age’, governor of besieged Yemen city says
   7. Reuters — Yemen's hospitals buckle as fighting escalates
   8. Al Jazeera — Fighting rages near Yemen’s Taiz as UN urges humanitarian access
   9. Human Rights Watch — Yemen: Houthis Depriving Taizz Civilians of Food, Medicine
   10. kare11.com — Iran hails Tehran security talks as a step toward regional dialogue, and other Mideast news
   11. Firstpost — On Cam: Houthis Force Saudi Forces Retreat, Takeover Bunkers & Capture Troops| Firstpost Live
   12. The Killeen Daily Herald — Houthis say Saudi-led airstrikes killed 14 at a market in northern Yemen, and other Mideast news
   confidence 90%