Inside the Houthi Psychological Warfare Campaign Against Taiz A recorded phone conversation released by Taiz activist Munir Hamid Saif comes amid an increasingly coordinated Houthi psychological warfare campaign targeting Taiz city. The recording coincides with reports from Houthi activists of a 48-hour countdown for Taiz city, followed by an official statement from a Houthi military source urging the remaining Saudi-backed forces in the city to surrender and accept a Houthi amnesty before it is too late. The hypocrisy in the Houthi statement is difficult to ignore. The group accused Saudi-backed forces of blocking access routes into Taiz, restricting civilian movement, and using residents as human shields, while Houthi forces themselves imposed a de facto siege on the city nearly two weeks ago. The same forces responsible for cutting off key access routes and worsening the humanitarian crisis are now presenting themselves as defenders of civilian freedom of movement. The statement also claimed that local leaders and tribal figures were working toward a peaceful resolution, even as Houthi forces continued their military offensive against the city. This reversal of responsibility appears central to the group's information campaign, portraying the besieging force as the protector of civilians and those defending the city as the source of their suffering. Meanwhile, the recorded call shows how this messaging is being delivered directly to influential individuals inside Taiz. During the conversation, Saif rejects the Houthi offer and instead invites Houthi fighters to surrender under the amnesty announced by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi. He insists that Taiz residents are defending their homes, declaring that every defensive position in the city is his home. The timing is significant. The reported 48-hour countdown, official military warnings, amnesty offers, and direct phone calls appear to be reinforcing the same message, aimed at weakening resistance, encouraging defections, and creating the perception that the city's fall is inevitable. Yet several recipients have recorded and publicly released these calls, exposing the methods being used and reaffirming their loyalty to Taiz. The Houthi offensive against Taiz is not simply a kinetic military operation. It is a broader campaign combining battlefield pressure, psychological warfare, information operations, political outreach, and attempts to penetrate the city's social networks. The objective appears to be to weaken Taiz from within while maintaining military pressure from outside. facebook.com/share/v/19ubZXY…

#FactCheck Did the Saudi-led coalition launch a military operation to recapture Bab al-Mandab Strait? Yes. Did coalition-backed forces advance on the West Coast front? Yes. Have they cleared the entire area of Houthi forces? No. Are pockets of Houthi fighters still resisting? Yes. Have some Houthi fighters surrendered? Yes. The operation is ongoing...

Last month, I told the @MHconflicted podcast that even if the Houthis were to capture all of Yemen, the internationally recognized government collapsed, and the national army disintegrated, armed local resistance and opposition to Houthi rule would continue. Today's footage from Yafrus, a historic town and subdistrict in Jabal Habashi, Taiz governorate, illustrates that point. The video reportedly shows local defenders ambushing a Houthi technical. The Houthis may capture territory, dismantle military formations, and seize government institutions, but that does not necessarily translate into control over the population or an end to armed resistance. This is shaping up to be a grueling, protracted conflict, not a short campaign ending in a quick, decisive victory. Even if the Houthis achieve conventional military superiority, they could face years of decentralized armed resistance, local insurgencies, and persistent opposition across Yemen. Winning territory is one thing. Holding it, governing it, and securing the acceptance of the population is an entirely different challenge.