Houthi Escalation and Grave Violations Against Civilians in Taiz and Hodeidah

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) condemns in the strongest terms the dangerous and ongoing military escalation carried out by the Houthi militia against civilians in Taiz governorate, particularly in the districts of Maqbanah, Al-Kadahah, and Jabal Habashi. This includes missile and artillery shelling, sniper targeting, drone attacks, raids, abductions, and the looting of homes and property, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread forced displacement.

Preliminary field information monitored by the Center indicates that, in one incident on September 4, 2026, the Houthi militia targeted a restaurant in the Mafraq Al-Mokha area, west of Taiz, with a ballistic missile. This resulted in 3 deaths and 17 injuries—all of whom were civilians—and caused material damage to the restaurant and neighboring properties. Furthermore, on Saturday, September 5, 2026, the Haidjat Al-Abd road connecting Taiz and Aden governorates was targeted, resulting in the death of 4 civilians and the injury of 9 others in an assault that threatens the lives of civilians and travelers and hazards one of the most vital arteries for population movement and supplies.

According to preliminary information, Houthi attacks on the villages of Jabal Habashi and Maqbanah have brought the total toll of casualties in these incidents to approximately 15 civilians killed and 80 others injured.

In the district of Jabal Habashi, a widespread movement of displacement from villages and residential areas continues due to intensifying clashes and escalating Houthi shelling, at a time when civilians, including children, have been directly targeted. Three children and a woman—who is the sister of two of the victims—were injured by Houthi militia sniper fire in the Al-Rahbah area of Jabal Habashi district, west of Taiz. According to sources, the ages of the injured ranged between 7 and 30 years old, with injuries varying across the back, hand, neck, and jaw.

According to available field data, the Yemeni Center has monitored the displacement of approximately 1,900 families from Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi districts since September 3 to various areas, in addition to the displacement of about 470 families from Hays and Al-Khawkhah. These figures represent a highly dangerous indicator of the scale of the humanitarian disaster caused by Houthi terrorist attacks, and the expanding scope of forced displacement that drives civilians to abandon their homes, camps, and livelihoods in search of a safer refuge.

What Taiz and Hodeidah are witnessing cannot be considered isolated incidents or mere side effects of military operations; rather, it reflects a continuous pattern of violations targeting civilians and civilian objects executed by the Houthi militia against civilians, worsening the suffering of a population that has lived for years under the weight of violence, fear, and displacement.

The Yemeni Center warns of the dangers of continued targeting of residential areas and villages, and the resulting killing and injury of civilians, displacement of families, destruction of property, and deprivation of security, food, water, healthcare, and income sources. It also emphasizes that any use of civilians as human shields, deliberate targeting of them, or launching of indiscriminate attacks that do not distinguish between civilians and military targets constitutes a grave violation of the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and may amount—when its legal elements are established—to crimes that require investigation, prosecution, and accountability.

The Yemeni Center holds the Houthi militia responsible for the violations established through monitoring and investigation operations, demanding an immediate and unconditional halt to all shelling and targeting of civilians, residential areas, and civilian objects, respect for the rules of international humanitarian law, and ensuring the protection of children, women, the elderly, and displaced persons.

The Yemeni Center also calls on the United Nations, the international community, and human rights and humanitarian organizations to move beyond statements of concern and condemnation toward taking practical, urgent measures to protect civilians. It demands independent and transparent investigations into the killings, injuries, shelling, abductions, displacement, and looting of property, as well as working to identify those responsible, hold them accountable, and prevent ongoing impunity.

The Yemeni Center calls on humanitarian agencies to provide a prompt and comprehensive response to displaced and affected families, securing shelter, food, water, healthcare, and protection, and enabling monitoring teams, human rights, and humanitarian organizations to access affected areas and document violations without restrictions.

The Yemeni Center affirms that civilian blood is not just numbers, the displacement of families is not a marginal detail, and the targeting of children and residential areas is not an act that can be justified or overlooked. The continuation of these violations amidst the absence of accountability will only lead to more casualties, displacement, and a deepening humanitarian disaster.

Accordingly, the Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) renews its call for urgent and firm international action to stop Houthi violations and protect civilians. It affirms that all documented crimes and violations will stand as a testament against their perpetrators, that impunity should not be an available option for any party, and that justice and accountability are a right for victims and a duty for the international community.

Issued by: The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) Wednesday, September 9, 2026 – Republic of Yemen