Yemen’s humanitarian crisis growing by the hour amid spike in displacement

Renewed clashes between Saudi-backed Yemeni Government forces and Iran-backed Houthi militia have displaced more than 112,000 people across Aden, Hudaydah, Abyan and Ta’iz within two weeks, according to aid agencies. Displaced families described fleeing under shelling and gunfire, with limited access to shelter or medical care. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that its resources are nearly exhausted, risking further deprivation for those uprooted by violence.

The crisis has extended beyond Yemen, with over 3,000 people crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Djibouti in search of safety. Host communities in Djibouti, particularly in Obock and Khor Angar, face strain as arrivals recount harrowing escapes from bombardment and gunfire. Many displaced individuals, including women and children, arrive with minimal belongings or separated from family members, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

In Yemen, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported that only 60 of more than 5,000 health facilities were fully operational before the latest escalation, compounding risks from cholera, measles, malnutrition and trauma. The UN Information Service in Geneva highlighted the detention of 73 UN personnel by Houthi authorities, further disrupting aid delivery in contested areas.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) highlighted the plight of women-led households, such as Aziza, who fled Mocha with her four daughters under shelling and suffered burns. Nearly half of Yemen’s 41 million people required aid before the recent violence, with one in two people in Government-held areas facing high hunger levels, according to UN-backed food insecurity experts.