HRITC Condemns Houthi Escalation in Taiz, Including Attacks on Homes and a Maternity Hospital
Taiz, October 2, 2026 – The Human Rights Information and Training Center (HRITC) has condemned in the strongest terms what it described as a “dangerous military escalation” by the Houthi group in Taiz governorate, saying the shelling has hit residential neighborhoods, villages, civilian homes, and other civilian objects, including the Maternity Hospital in the Al-Asabih area of rural Taiz.
In a statement issued today, HRITC said its field monitoring shows the shelling, which involved missiles and artillery shells, has extended to 26 fronts and axes across the governorate. As a result, large areas of Taiz have come under fire, increasing the risk to civilians and their property, particularly women, children, and the elderly.
The center added that the escalation follows earlier attacks on residential areas and civilian facilities in Taiz that caused civilian casualties and property damage. It stressed that civilians “continue to bear the heaviest cost” of the violence.
What International Humanitarian Law Says About Attacks on Hospitals
HRITC noted that targeting health facilities violates the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), which grant hospitals and medical units special protection. Such facilities may not be attacked unless they lose that protection under the conditions and limits set by law.
The center stressed that indiscriminate or deliberate attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as the use of weapons and methods of warfare that fail to distinguish between military and civilian targets, constitute serious violations of IHL and international human rights law. Such acts may amount to war crimes requiring investigation and accountability.
HRITC also emphasized that protecting civilians “is not a political choice or a matter open to negotiation,” but a legal obligation binding on all parties to the conflict. Attacking hospitals, homes, and civilian facilities, or deliberately or indiscriminately putting them at risk, breaches the core principles of IHL:
- Distinction: parties must at all times distinguish between combatants and civilians, and between military targets and civilian objects.
- Proportionality: attacks expected to cause excessive civilian harm compared with the anticipated military advantage are prohibited.
- Precaution: all feasible measures must be taken to avoid, or at least minimize, harm to civilians.
HRITC Demands
The center called for:
- An immediate halt to the shelling of residential areas and civilian objects in Taiz.
- Protection of medical facilities, healthcare workers, and patients, which must not be used for or exposed to military operations.
- An independent and transparent international investigation into all attacks affecting civilians and civilian objects, with responsibility established for each incident.
- Access for human rights organizations and competent international bodies to affected areas, so they can independently verify the facts.
HRITC also urged the United Nations and the international community to fulfill their responsibilities to protect civilians, hold perpetrators of serious violations accountable, and end impunity.
The center said its monitoring and documentation teams will continue to follow developments in Taiz and record violations, victims, and damage affecting civilians and civilian objects. The documented information will be used in justice, accountability, and reparations processes.
The Houthi group had not responded to the statement at the time of publication.
About HRITC: The Human Rights Information and Training Center (HRITC) is a regional organization that, according to its statement, holds consultative status with the United Nations.
