What happened
Fighting has intensified in Yemen's third-largest city, Taiz, as Houthi fighters battle for control against Saudi-backed pro-government forces. The city is a crucial cultural and strategic location, with nearly a million residents, and its capture could significantly impact the country's civil war.
A BBC reporting team traveled to the front lines, witnessing the effects of the conflict firsthand. They saw abandoned homes, heard the sounds of incoming and outgoing fire, and met with residents who have remained in the area despite the dangers. One resident, Ali, stated that he had sent his children to a displacement camp due to the constant shelling and gunfire but stayed behind to care for his animals.
The Houthi forces have made significant gains in recent weeks, seizing control of the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha and a swathe of territory overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial shipping corridor. This has led to a rise in oil prices due to fears of further disruption to supplies from the region.
The conflict has resulted in a significant humanitarian crisis, with the UN reporting that over 130,000 people have been displaced in Yemen this month, adding to the 5.2 million already displaced by the civil war. The UN has warned that another 100,000 people could be forced from their homes in the next three months.
The BBC team visited a displacement camp, where they met with families who had fled the fighting, including a woman named Maryam who had walked barefoot with her five children to escape the clashes. Another woman, Fatma, who has a disability, recounted how she had crawled for two days before being given a lift by a motorcyclist to reach the camp.
