Taiz families stretch 10 liters of water to last four days as Houthi siege tightens

Bottled water in Taiz now costs up to 75% more than it did just weeks ago, a sharp increase that has forced families in Yemen's third-largest city to drastically cut their daily consumption. Humanitarian groups report that the needs of the city's more than 1 million residents are barely being met as the siege by Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies.

Access to local wells is restricted, and desalination plants are operating at reduced capacity due to a lack of fuel. Water trucks, which previously provided a reliable supply, are largely blocked from entering the city. Those who still make the dangerous journey have in some cases tripled their rates, further driving up costs for households that already face financial strain.

Residents are adapting by stretching every available drop. Hadil al-Shahid, a hair salon owner, said her family once used about 10 liters of bottled water per day for drinking and cooking. They now make that same amount last approximately four days. Al-Shahid said she and her two young children stopped drinking coffee and tea, beverages they previously consumed daily, to conserve water.

The financial burden is pushing some households to buy water on credit. Beyond the immediate cost of hydration, the siege is creating a cascade of other shortages. Fuel scarcity makes it difficult to keep hospitals and sanitation services running, while grocery prices have climbed. Flour and rice now cost about 50% more than they did in the summer.

Energy costs have also surged. Hani Bafaqih of the aid group CARE reported that cooking gas prices have more than quadrupled. In response, some families have begun burning wood, charcoal, or cardboard to prepare meals. This shift adds to public health risks, particularly as community kitchens struggle to operate and waste collection services have shut down due to fuel shortages.

Taiz province has absorbed roughly 124,000 displaced people since August, according to United Nations migration experts. This influx represents about half of the total displaced population in Yemen. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for a UN emergency aid division, noted that some of these displaced families live in makeshift shelters and survive on one meal a day. He warned that the interconnected shortages make disease outbreaks, including cholera, more likely, especially as families rely on unprotected wells.

The military situation has worsened since the Houthis captured the port city of Mokha last month. That port is vital for Red Sea shipping, and its loss has accelerated the Houthi advance on Taiz. The government still holds the city center, but resupplying forces is complicated by stiff resistance in the surrounding hills. Three Houthi officials said the group controls about 80% of the countryside and several neighborhoods inside the city, a claim the Associated Press could not verify.

Civilians bear the direct risk of the conflict. Earlier this week, Houthi missiles struck a residential area, killing two teenage girls. Ahmed Abdel Gaber, who shelters with nine relatives in a ruined building, said he hears explosions daily from fighting about 5 kilometers away. His income from hauling construction material has become unstable, and his family now relies heavily on assistance and donations for food. Al-Shahid said her daughter and son now eat mostly rice, bread, and cheese, and that staying in their home is inevitable whether it is a matter of life or death.