The key facts
- On October 21, fighting took place near Taiz's old airport and Jabal Khan mountain; the government claims it repelled a Houthi attack and carried out airstrikes — without independent confirmation.
- The Houthis have largely encircled Yemen's third-largest city and blocked key routes, including the road to Aden.
- Due to the fighting, sanitation workers cannot reach the main landfill and burn garbage in the streets; fuel shortages are hitting water supply, hospitals and waste collection.
Fighting on the western outskirts of Taiz
On October 21, 2026, Yemeni government forces and their allied Popular Resistance fighters clashed with Houthi fighters on the western outskirts of Taiz — near the city's old airport and Jabal Khan mountain. Published footage shows a government tank firing toward Houthi positions, with the sound of gunfire echoing across the area.
Officials' claims unverified
The internationally recognized government said its forces repelled the attack and also announced airstrikes on Houthi positions, their vehicles and a rocket launch site to the west, south and east of the city. These claims could not be independently verified.
Blockade increases pressure on the city
The fighting comes amid growing Houthi pressure on Taiz — Yemen's third-largest city. The Houthis have largely encircled it and blocked key supply routes, including the main road to Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognized government.
Garbage crisis and fuel shortage
The restrictions have also cut off access to the city's main landfill: garbage is piling up along major streets. Sanitation workers say that because of the clashes they can no longer reach the landfill and are forced to burn waste right in the streets. Footage shows garbage burning near busy roads, thick smoke over neighborhoods, and goats foraging among the refuse. According to humanitarian organizations, the fuel shortage is also disrupting the operation of water pumps, hospitals and garbage collection, heightening fears of disease outbreaks.
Residents' voices
“If we don't die from the Houthis' shelling, we will die from this garbage,” said one resident of the city.
