(Beirut) – The Houthi armed group on October 18, 2026, used explosives to severely damage a critical road into Yemen’s besieged city of Taizz, putting civilian lives and welfare at increased risk, Human Rights Watch said today.

The Hayjat al-Abd road has been the main entry point for food, medicine, and fuel to reach residents of Taizz city, which the Houthis have besieged since 2015. Fighting in the area has primarily been between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The Houthis’ deliberate destruction of segments of the road, if intended to disable infrastructure indispensable to civilian survival, would violate the laws of war and amount to a war crime.…