Battle for Taiz is for whole of western Yemen, warns ex-PM Maeen Abdelmalik Saeed
The Houthis' siege of Taiz is a slow-burning campaign that could signal the eventual fall of western Yemen, a former prime minister of the country has warned. Maeen Abdelmalik Saeed, who held office from 2018 to 2024, said the city of Taiz in south-western Yemen is an important stronghold for the government that needs to be defended at all costs. “It’s a battle which concerns all of the west [of…
Former Prime Minister Maeen Abdelmalik Saeed has cautioned that the Houthi siege of Taiz, in southwestern Yemen, could signify the eventual fall of the western part of the country. Taiz, a city with a population of slightly less than one million, is a key stronghold for the government and must be defended at all costs, according to Saeed.
The Houthi siege, while intense and ongoing, is currently in a consolidation phase as they control significant, important heights around the city. However, they have not yet implemented a complete blockade, which they intend to do to consolidate control over the rural outskirts before expanding into Taiz itself. The Houthi attack on Taiz is ongoing, with a severe shortage of medicine and fuel in the city's hospitals.
The rebellion's invasion of the south-west coast of Yemen last month, aimed at enforcing its blockade on oil shipping from Saudi Arabia, led to the Houthi capture of the port city of Mokha, granting them control over the Bab Al Mandab strait. This has enabled the Houthi forces to threaten Saudi Arabia's oil exports. The conflict shows the Houthi ambitions to seize other key cities in western Yemen, according to Saeed.
Recent Houthi missile attacks on Aden's Presidential Palace, killing five people, and potential plans to target Lahj, a city near Aden with a large military camp, demonstrate this. While Taiz could still receive supplies from Aden, they would be temporary, and the city would face siege and attempts to enter it within days or weeks.
The Houthi group relies on their radical religious teachings, making Taiz the last obstacle to their goal. Local resistance would likely form quickly, given Taiz's history of being ruled by Zaydi Imams of northern Yemen. The Houthi group faces difficulty financing the administration of Taiz, as they lack the financial resources to run the city.
Despite Saudi Arabia's concessions acknowledging the encouragement of Houthi advances by Iran, the Houthis continue to pose a significant threat.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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