Iran: The Latest is The Telegraph’s defence, security and foreign affairs podcast providing deep-dive analysis on the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey bring you the latest updates from The Telegraph’s award-winning journalists, plus exclusive interviews with world-class experts in military strategy, international relations, and Middle East policy. From attacks on the Gulf to Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen to the threat of nuclear escalation, stay informed with the best of The Telegraph’s Middle East coverage in one place. As the geopolitical landscape shifts, subscribe for essential updates on the security shifts defining our global future. Battle Lines, a defence podcast with a wider scope and created by David Knowles, previously lived on this feed. Don’t forget to follow and leave a review to stay updated on the latest in global conflict and foreign affairs.
Curated by: The Telegraph (450 videos)
The Iran-backed Houthis have encircled Yemen’s Taiz and are on the cusp of taking the strategic city for the first time in the war in what would be a major blow to Saudi Arabia. On part two of today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, a Yemeni senior researcher from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, about why the Houthis are so desperate to capture Taiz as a stepping-stone to oil-rich Marib and port city Aden and how it could take just “days” to fall. With around a million people trapped inside and news of food and medicine shortages, a humanitarian disaster is looming and Iran’s proxy group is on the brink of a major victory. Do Saudi Arabia or even the UAE have the capacity to stop Yemen sliding permanently into Tehran's sphere of control? 00:00:00 - Houthi Siege of Taiz: Military Frontline Update & Humanitarian Crisis 00:01:40 - Inside Taiz: Starlink Communications, Food Shortages & Street Warfare Risks 00:04:35 - Why the Houthis Want Taiz: Strategic Gateway to Aden & Oil-Rich Marib 00:08:00 - Is Taiz About to Fall? Army Disparity & Timeline Predictions 00:09:34 - Civilian Concerns: Food Insecurity & Humanitarian Toll Under Houthi Siege 00:11:18 - Symbolic Impact: The Psychological Blow to Yemen's Government 00:12:49 - Government Military Fragility: Lost Weapons & Inherited State Infrastructure 00:14:18 - Saudi Arabia’s Airstrikes & The Limits of Air Support in Yemen 00:15:11 - Saudi-UAE Rift: Differing Agendas, Separatists & The Muslim Brotherhood 00:18:17 - Will the UAE Re-Enter the Yemen War? Conditions & Regional Security CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies @maysaashujaa CONTENT REFERENCED: Houthis on brink of taking their biggest scalp https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/13/houthis-on-brink-of-seizing-their-biggest-scalp/ Con Coughlin: The Houthis are Europe’s problem https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/15/houthis-are-europe-problem/ Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor ► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ #Yemen #Taiz #Houthis #IranTheLatest #MiddleEast