JEDDAH: Local authorities in Yemen’s Taiz have called for an urgent, UN-backed investigation into reports that Houthi forces fired artillery shells and rockets suspected of containing internationally banned chemical substances, amid escalating fighting that has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the besieged city. In a statement issued by the Taiz Governorate Media Office, the authorities said they had received consistent reports from several front lines, most recently in Al-Aqroud and Kahlan, alleging that Houthi forces had used munitions that contained potentially prohibited gases and other toxic materials. The allegations followed incidents in which civilians and members of the Popular Resistance reportedly suffered severe breathing difficulties and lost consciousness after areas were shelled. The authorities called for an immediate technical investigation to identify the substances involved and establish whether they were responsible for the reported symptoms. They urged government agencies to dispatch specialists to inspect the affected areas, gather evidence, and examine medical records and witness testimonies. The statement also called on the UN and other international organizations to support an independent investigation and help hold those responsible accountable, if the use of prohibited substances was confirmed. Mostafa Noman, Yemen’s deputy foreign minister, accused the Iran-backed Houthis of using “all kind of illegal weapons to accelerate their push towards the battered city of Taiz.” He said local authorities and the Yemeni government were demanding an end to the siege and the deployment of an independent, international investigation team to examine the allegations and report on the suspected use of poisonous substances. “I would not rule out the use of such weapons,” he said, describing the alleged acts as “a clear sign of their desperation to force the city to surrender.” Yemen’s information minister, Moammar Al-Eryani, separately described the allegations as a dangerous development, and called on the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate. The nature of the substances involved remains unknown. Fighting between the Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government has intensified in Taiz, where the militia has tightened its siege of the city and disrupted vital supply routes. The UN warned last week that more than 800,000 people in Taiz had been cut off from food assistance after fighting blocked major roads into the city. The restrictions have severely disrupted deliveries of food, fuel and medical supplies, leaving hospitals struggling to operate and residents facing worsening shortages of drinking water, according to the UN. The renewed fighting has also forced thousands of Yemenis to flee their homes, placing further pressure on communities already struggling with years of conflict. Authorities in Taiz held the Houthis responsible for attacks that are threatening civilians and warned against any further escalation or the use of weapons prohibited under international law. They also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting civilians and called for measures to prevent further attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure.