Yemen displacement surges as Houthi offensive and counterstrikes force mass flight

Renewed fighting between Yemeni forces and Houthis has driven at least 112,000 people from their homes in two weeks, with thousands fleeing by sea to Djibouti.

• The International Organization for Migration said at least 112,000 people were displaced inside Yemen within two weeks and roughly 3,000 crossed to Djibouti by boat amid renewed fighting on the western coast.
• The Executive Unit for IDP camps in Yemen said about 20,000 families, over 130,000 people, fled their homes, with Marib province hosting more than 2.2 million displaced.
• Houthi forces advanced toward the Bab el-Mandeb strait and struck Saudi cities and energy facilities, while Yemeni government forces and Saudi Arabia launched strikes on Houthi targets.
• AP reported fuel shortages limited boat crossings as Djibouti reception centers prepared for larger arrivals; 4.8 million people were already living in displacement in early 2025.
• UN officials warned that resources are nearly depleted, with 22 million Yemenis needing urgent aid and thousands of pregnant women among the displaced.
• The influx is straining Djibouti, which already hosts tens of thousands of refugees.
• The UN said intensified clashes along the western coastal strip were directly disrupting aid convoy movements and supply chains for food and medical supplies, and renewed calls for safe unhindered corridors.