Taiz Residents Ration Water to 2.5 Liters Daily as Houthi Siege Tightens
Aid groups report that supply routes are blocked and prices have surged, forcing over one million people in Yemen's third-largest city to stretch basic resources.
By Sakura Novak ·
Hadil al-Shahid, a hair salon owner in Taiz, Yemen, now stretches ten liters of bottled water over four days for herself and her two young children. This is a drastic shift from her previous routine, where the same amount of water was consumed daily for drinking and cooking. The change reflects a broader collapse in supply that humanitarian organizations say has reached crisis levels in the city in recent weeks.
The situation has deteriorated as Iran-backed Houthi rebels have besieged Taiz, the country's third-largest city, while their conflict with government forces escalates. Aid groups state that the needs of Taiz's more than one million residents are barely being met. Access to local wells is restricted, desalination plants are running out of fuel, and water trucks are largely blocked from entering the city.
The cost of staying hydrated has risen sharply. Bottled water now costs up to 75% more than it did a few weeks ago. Some households are buying the product on credit to maintain their supply. Al-Shahid said she stopped drinking coffee and tea, habits she maintained daily, to conserve water for her children.
The siege impacts resources beyond water. Grocery shortages have driven up food prices, with flour and rice costing about 50% more than in the summer. Scarce fuel has made it difficult to keep hospitals and sanitation services running. Hani Bafaqih of the aid group CARE reported that cooking gas prices have more than quadrupled. Many families are now burning wood, charcoal, or cardboard for heat.
The strain on the city is compounded by an influx of displaced people. Taiz province has absorbed approximately 124,000 displaced residents since August, according to United Nations migration experts. This number represents roughly half of the people displaced elsewhere in Yemen during that period. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for a UN emergency aid division, noted that some displaced families live in makeshift shelters and survive on one meal a day.
The conflict in Yemen intensified by August as the country became a widening front in the Iran war. The Houthis advanced on Taiz last month after capturing the port city of Mokha, located about 130 kilometers away. This port is vital for controlling Red Sea shipping. As rebels took control of land and roads around Taiz, residents lost access to nearby wells and outside deliveries. Truckers who still make the dangerous trip have tripled their rates in some cases, while the water utility operates well below capacity.
Amnesty International has urged the Houthis to open roads into the city immediately. The organization warned that Taiz is being pushed to the brink of a severe humanitarian disaster. The shortages create a cycle that increases public health risks. Laerke said the shortages feed into each other, making disease more likely, especially cholera, as thirsty families use unprotected wells.
The government still holds the center of Taiz, but the siege complicates resupplying its forces. These forces face stiff resistance in the surrounding hills, particularly east of the city. Analysts say controlling Taiz is key if the Houthis want to push south toward Aden and Lahj. Ahmed Nagi of the International Crisis Group said any attempt to seize parts of the city would likely mean a prolonged and costly battle.
Three Houthi officials, speaking anonymously, claimed the group controls about 80% of the surrounding countryside and several neighborhoods inside the city. The Associated Press could not verify these claims. Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba has acknowledged the rebels' tightening grip on the area.
Civilians remain in danger as fighting continues. Earlier this week, Houthi missiles hit a residential area in Taiz and killed two teenage girls. Ahmed Abdel Gaber, who is displaced with nine relatives in the ruins of a building, said he hears explosions daily from fighting about five kilometers away. Al-Shahid said she cannot afford to leave her home. "Staying in our home is inevitable," she said, "whether it be a matter of life or death."
