ADEN, Yemen -UNS: September 8, 2026: Renewed fighting between Iran-backed Houthi forces and pro-government forces in southwestern Yemen has displaced nearly 20,000 people, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday, as escalating violence along the country’s western coast forces families to flee their homes.
The IOM said more than 18,500 people had been displaced by Monday as fighting intensified in Yemen’s western coastal areas. The agency warned that the number of displaced people was continuing to rise as families arrived at displacement sites seeking safety.
“We are deeply alarmed by the escalating violence on Yemen’s West Coast,” IOM Yemen Chief of Mission Abdusattor Esoev told reporters in Aden.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), more than 300 people have been killed in the fighting since Thursday, citing sources on both sides of the conflict. The reported death toll could not be independently verified.
The renewed fighting follows a Houthi offensive launched last week in areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategically important maritime passage linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The escalation has raised fresh concerns over security and humanitarian conditions along Yemen’s western coastline.
The conflict between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government has continued since 2015, causing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Years of fighting have killed and displaced large numbers of people and left millions dependent on humanitarian assistance.
The latest escalation is placing additional pressure on already vulnerable communities. Newly displaced families urgently need shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and other essential services as humanitarian agencies respond to the growing displacement.
