UN News — Global reported on Friday that intensified hostilities across Yemen have triggered a rapid rise in the number of people forced to abandon their homes. Residents in affected districts described moving under the threat of artillery strikes and small‑arms fire, seeking safety in makeshift shelters or crossing borders where possible.

The latest wave of displacement follows a series of clashes that reignited in several governorates earlier this month. Aid organisations monitoring the situation note that the speed and scale of the population movements exceed previous estimates, complicating delivery of food, water, medical supplies and protection services.

Humanitarian actors operating in Yemen indicate that the crisis now stretches beyond the country's borders. In Djibhou, a small East African nation, thousands of Yemeni refugees have arrived in recent weeks, overwhelming local capacities and prompting calls for additional international assistance. The influx has strained accommodation facilities, health clinics and basic infrastructure already stretched by the host country's own development challenges.

Field assessments carried out by United Nations agencies highlight a sharp increase in the number of individuals classified as urgently in need of aid. The agencies point to deteriorating living conditions, heightened exposure to disease, and limited access to clean water as key concerns. They also warn that the ongoing insecurity hampers the safe passage of humanitarian convoys, leaving many communities cut off from essential support.

In response, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has appealed for heightened funding and logistical support to address the expanding gap between needs and available resources. The agency emphasizes that without swift and coordinated action, the humanitarian situation could deteriorate further, potentially leading to larger-scale displacement and heightened vulnerability among already fragile populations.

The UN continues to call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and facilitate unhindered humanitarian access. It also urges neighboring states to cooperate in managing the refugee flows and to provide safe and dignified conditions for those seeking shelter beyond Yemen's borders.

Reporting attribution: based on reporting by UN News — Global — original source: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/09/1168364.