Iran-backed Houthi rebels have tightened their grip around Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, intensifying the long-running conflict between the Iran-aligned group and a Saudi-led coalition backed by local forces. The advance raises fears of a renewed offensive in a strategic urban stronghold that has seen repeated clashes since 2015. With the fighting spreading, the humanitarian toll in Taiz—already one of Yemen’s most devastated areas—could worsen as civilians face renewed displacement and shortages. The escalation underscores the deepening regional proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with broader implications for stability in the Arabian Peninsula.
Iran-backed rebels surround Taiz, one of Yemen’s largest cities, as conflict with Riyadh and its local allies escalates
