Former Yemeni PM warns losing Taiz could spell defeat for western Yemen

Former prime minister Maeen Abdelmalik Saeed cautioned that the Houthi forces are consolidating control of the highlands surrounding Taiz, aiming to seal off the city and its surrounding rural areas before launching a full siege. He highlighted acute shortages of medical supplies and fuel in Taiz’s hospitals and warned that failure to retake the city would undermine any future offensive against the Houthis across western Yemen.

Saeed pointed to the recent capture of the port of Mokha, which gave the rebels control of the Bab Al-Mandab strait, and to missile strikes on the Presidential Palace in Aden that killed five people, as evidence of a wider strategy. He also warned that the nearby city of Lahj, home to a major military camp, could become a launchpad for attacks on Taiz, Aden and Mareb. Saeed blamed Iranian backing for the Houthi surge and raised concerns about the group’s growing weapon capabilities, including alleged Chinese-derived technology produced in Hodeidah. He warned that the Houthis would struggle financially to govern Taiz even if they capture it, and that their advances could inspire other militant groups to adopt similar weapons.