Caught between displacement camps that lack even the most basic necessities and perilous sea crossings, hundreds of thousands of Yemenis are facing yet another journey of displacement as the Houthis' military escalation has expanded since September of last year. The crisis has extended far beyond the front lines, placing increasing pressure on governorates hosting displaced populations and spilling across Yemen's borders, all amid dwindling humanitarian funding and a declining capacity to meet growing needs. Yemenis displaced by fighting in Taiz gather to receive food aid in the Salah al-Din area on the outskirts of Aden, Yemen, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik) As of October 23, more than 268,000 people had been displaced, almost all of them since the beginning of September, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) said. Displaced families are now sheltering in 62 districts across ten governorates. As of October 17, 3,836 Yemenis have arrived in Djibouti, half of them children, including 282 under the age of five. These figures reflect the growing scale of displacement from conflict zones, particularly in western Taiz, Lahj, and southern Hodeidah, where families have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. At the same time, host areas are increasingly struggling to absorb the rising numbers of displaced people and provide for their basic needs. The wave of displacement due to Houthi attacks has expanded, exacerbating the humanitarian situation (Local media) In Aden, the number of displaced people has more than doubled since October 7 to more than 42,000, while Lahj now hosts around 67,000. The flight from violence has not been limited to land routes. Yemeni families have also taken to the sea in an attempt to escape areas of escalating conflict. Some boats reached shore before arriving at their intended destinations after running out of fuel, highlighting the dangers civilians face as they seek safer refuge. As the number of arrivals continues to grow, families who fled their homes in haste are struggling to secure shelter, safe drinking water, healthcare, and other essential services. At the same time, pressure is mounting on host communities that already suffer from limited resources, while humanitarian needs are increasing at a pace that far exceeds the capacity of available response efforts. The suffering of the displaced does not end once they leave conflict zones. Many families are forced to take shelter in overcrowded public buildings, while others sleep in the open due to a lack of adequate accommodation. Continuous flow of displaced persons from the outskirts of Lahij governorate (Local media) The shortage of sanitation facilities and basic services further compounds their hardship. These conditions heighten the risks faced by children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. "The scale and speed of this displacement is leaving families in desperate need of help, and our response is struggling to keep pace," said IOM Yemen Chief of Mission Abdusattor Esoev. "Our teams are reaching people every day, but funding is falling far short. Without urgent support, more families will go without assistance that could save their lives." With 44,736 families displaced, many are struggling to access clean water, health care and basic services amid severe fuel shortages and skyrocketing prices for basic food items and medicine. Humanitarian access constraints in Taiz continue to slow aid delivery and the IOM faces a critical funding gap of $30 million over the next six months to provide shelter, emergency cash, protection, health care, clean water and sanitation, and to track displacement. Displacement camps in Yemen lack the most basic necessities (Local media) "Many families have had to flee more than once, each time facing the struggle to find somewhere safe to stay and access the support they need," said Esoev. "Support must reach both displaced families and the communities hosting them now, before more lives are put at risk." Since August 1, IOM has worked with local authorities, UN partners and local organizations to reach 11,178 conflict-affected households with emergency shelter, household items, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies and multi-purpose cash assistance. IOM has also provided protection services to 6,757 migrants and displaced people and carried out 56,863 primary health care consultations. The organization urged donors “to urgently scale up support to keep pace with rapidly growing needs, and on all parties to protect civilians and humanitarian workers and to ensure safe, unimpeded access to people in need.”
