Yemeni women revive kitchen drives to supply fighters amid Taiz fighting

Following a renewed Houthi assault that captured Hodeidah districts, Mocha and strategic points on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, women in Taiz have resurrected a 2015-originated program of baking and delivering food to government forces. Led by volunteers such as Naseem al-Odaini, the groups knead dough for date-filled pastries, financing the operation through personal savings and crowd-sourced donations. Three of al-Odaini’s colleagues were killed delivering supplies, yet she continues to bring baked goods directly to fighters, who say the presence of women matters more than the food itself.

Another organizer, Israa al-Tayeb, runs a kitchen that produces biscuits, milk and water, distributing them via a network of collectors, bakers and couriers. The campaign, now larger than before, is also mirrored in Houthi-controlled areas during religious holidays, highlighting the broader role of Yemeni women in sustaining the war effort.