UN Reports Over 100,000 Displaced Amid Escalating Violence in Yemen

A woman sits with her children at a makeshift camp for people displaced by clashes between Iran-aligned Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

More than 100,000 people have been forced to flee the ongoing conflict in Yemen between the Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, according to the United Nations.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stated on Tuesday that rapidly escalating hostilities along Yemen’s western coast have displaced more than 100,000 individuals internally, while forcing thousands of others to undertake perilous journeys across the Bab al-Mandeb strait to reach Djibouti in search of safety.

Warning of an impending humanitarian crisis, the UNHCR noted that the surge in displacement is severely straining local communities that possess only limited resources. The agency has appealed for an estimated $14m in new funding to address the immediate needs of families inside Yemen, alongside additional support for arrivals in Djibouti.

“Many families fled at short notice with few belongings. Shelter, food, clean water, health care and protection services are among the most urgent needs, as receiving communities and displacement sites become overstretched,” the UNHCR statement outlined. Furthermore, more than 65,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers inside Yemen—predominantly from Somalia and Ethiopia—are facing heightened risks due to the ongoing fighting.

The displacement crisis escalated after Iran-aligned Houthis launched a rapid advance, taking control of the entirety of Yemen’s Red Sea coast to consolidate their grip on the Bab al-Mandeb strait. This strategic maritime corridor connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and has increasingly served as an alternative shipping route as the United States’ war against Iran impacted the Strait of Hormuz.

Aisha Muhammad, a displaced woman, recounted having to leave her five children behind in their village near the port city of Mocha after it was overrun by the Houthis.

“They are being blocked and shot at, so they are trapped inside their homes. They are cooking only rice, no bread, nothing else. My daughters called me saying they want to join us, but it has become too difficult,” Muhammad said.

Hussein Haydara, another displaced individual who fled Hodeidah, described the suddenness of his escape. “You could barely take your children and the fewest essentials with you,” he stated. “We were terrified of the shelling and sniper fire, and you just flee as quickly as you can out of fear for your children and your family.”

According to UNHCR figures, more than 2,400 people crossed the Bab al-Mandeb strait over a four-day period, with the majority of arrivals consisting of women, children, and older individuals.

“People are arriving after a difficult sea journey, many exhausted, distressed and carrying what little they could take with them,” said Sandrine Desamours, UNHCR’s representative in Djibouti.