Yemen’s former prime minister warns Taiz’s fall would threaten Western security

Summary

Food and fuel are running low in besieged Taiz as the south-western Yemeni city braces for a Houthi breakthrough, The Guardian reports. Former prime minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, now an adviser to Yemen’s president, says it would be catastrophic if Iran-backed Houthi rebels took the city, because control of the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait and the road to Aden would be lost. Saeed also says the militia’s use of drones represents a new era of radical terrorism.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   16 Oct 2026, 04:00 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that food and fuel are running low in besieged Taiz as it braces for a Houthi breakthrough, while former prime minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed warns that the city’s fall would jeopardise Western security and cost control of the Bab al-Mandab strait and the road to Aden.