More than 10,000 could flee Yemen fighting to Djibouti in coming months: UN

Renewed fighting in Yemen could see the number of refugees fleeing across the Red Sea to Djibouti jump to 10,000, while displacement inside Yemen could swell to over 2,30,000, the UN warned on Tuesday (September 22, 2026).

The Iran-backed Houthis earlier this month seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, in a dramatic offensive that has left hundreds of people on both sides dead, threatened global trade and pushed up energy prices.

The latest fighting between the Houthis and forces loyal to the Aden-based government, backed by Saudi Arabia, has sparked a fresh humanitarian crisis.

More than 1,00,000 civilians have been uprooted inside Yemen while others have risked dangerous sea crossings to flee the violence.

"Intensifying fighting in Yemen could drive more mass displacement," United Nations refugee agency spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva.