Nearly 94,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Yemen since renewed fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces intensified this month, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The UN migration agency said Taiz and Lahj governorates have recorded the largest displacement, with more than 48,000 people forced from their communities.
The latest displacement has increased humanitarian pressure in the war-torn country, prompting the IOM to call for urgent assistance to provide shelter, clean water and sanitation for families affected by the renewed violence.
The crisis has also pushed thousands of Yemenis to seek safety outside the country. More than 2,000 people have crossed the sea into neighbouring Djibouti, arriving in small boats along the country’s northern coastline.
IOM teams have been assisting the new arrivals by providing food and emergency shelter as they come ashore.
Women and children have sought protection from the intense heat under temporary canopies erected along the shoreline while waiting for further assistance.
The renewed fighting has raised fears that Yemen could return to a full-scale civil war after years of relative calm.
The conflict, which erupted into a major war after the Houthi takeover of the capital, Sanaa, killed an estimated 150,000 people before a ceasefire in 2022 brought a significant reduction in hostilities.
However, the latest escalation has once again exposed the fragility of the situation, with fighting between the Houthis and government forces intensifying in several parts of the country.
The Iran-backed Houthis have also made strategic gains around Yemen’s Red Sea coast, increasing concerns over the security of one of the world’s major maritime trade routes.
The developments have added to wider regional tensions and increased fears of further disruption to shipping and humanitarian access.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that any prolonged escalation would worsen the already severe conditions facing millions of Yemenis, many of whom continue to depend on international assistance for food, shelter and basic services.
