UN reports 290,000 displaced in Yemen as conflict intensifies
Houthi and government forces clash in Taiz and coastal areas, while Saudi Arabia intercepts drones near Riyadh and holy cities.
By Austin Reed ·
The United Nations humanitarian office announced on Friday that at least 290,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting resumed in August. The organization warned that the deteriorating situation poses a severe threat to pregnant women and other vulnerable groups across the country.
Combat has escalated between forces loyal to the internationally recognised government and Houthi rebels, particularly in Taiz governorate and coastal regions. An OCHA report stated that 65,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Yemen face disrupted services and rising costs for food and fuel. Among the newly displaced are 6,100 pregnant women, with 600 expected to give birth within two weeks.
Aid agencies have delivered food, hygiene supplies, and emergency cash to approximately 249,000 people, representing about three-quarters of the displaced population. The UN has deployed mobile medical teams and midwives to various displacement sites to address immediate health needs.
The escalation has extended across the border into Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition reported that it intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki confirmed no casualties were reported. This marks the second such interception over Riyadh in two days, following reports of drones downed near Mecca, Medina, and Riyadh on Friday.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree denied launching drones toward Saudi territory, describing the claims as egregious lies. The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi airports and oil infrastructure, including a strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10 that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300.
In Yemen, the government announced that Houthi forces fired at least three ballistic missiles at the Maashiq presidential palace in Aden. The Houthis also targeted Aden International airport, which had reopened on Thursday after repairs. Government spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said forces neutralized about 336 Houthi fighters and destroyed 112 vehicles and pieces of equipment in recent hours. The UN has verified 270 civilian casualties since August, including 68 killed, half of whom were children.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud discussed the situation with U.S., Russian, and European counterparts at a G20 meeting in Atlanta. He and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand issued a joint statement condemning the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Fighting continues on multiple fronts, including Taiz, Marib, al-Jawf, and al-Bayda, as the war that began in 2014 persists.
