Yemen displacement rises as Houthi offensive targets Bab al‑Mandeb Strait

More than 70,000 Yemenis have fled their homes after Iran‑backed Houthi rebels launched an offensive aimed at seizing control of the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait. The sudden surge of displacement has driven many residents toward the southern port city of Aden, while an estimated 1,400 have crossed the border into neighboring Djibouti seeking safety.

The United Nations and the International Organization for Migration warned that the new wave of movement compounds an already severe humanitarian emergency in Yemen, a nation battered by twelve years of conflict. With food, water and medical supplies in short supply, the influx of displaced persons strains aid operations and underscores the escalating risk of further civilian hardship as fighting expands to strategic maritime routes.