By Faisal Abu Bakr | 2026-10-01

The Houthi hostilities have forced thousands of Yemenis to undertake perilous, life-threatening journeys by land and sea.

These displaced families, including children, pregnant women and the elderly, now face severe shortages of clean water, medical aid and shelter.

The United Nations warns that refugees fleeing across the Red Sea into Djibouti could soon reach 10,000 people due to renewed fighting.

Meanwhile, internal displacement numbers are projected to exceed 230,000 individuals within the coming months, compounding a pre-existing crisis.

These citizens join over 5.2 million people already displaced before this current outbreak of violent conflict and instability.

Approximately 22 million Yemenis currently require urgent humanitarian assistance, highlighting the sheer scale of this ongoing national tragedy.

Women and children endure hardship

Yemeni Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Abdul-Raqib al-Haidari emphasizes that this forced displacement creates grave and lasting humanitarian repercussions for everyone.

"The most vulnerable groups -- women, children, the elderly, the sick and those with disabilities -- invariably pay the absolute heaviest price," he told Al-Fassel.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates indicate that nearly 2,700 pregnant women are caught in these recent waves of desperate, forced migration.

Hundreds of these women require immediate obstetric care, while many are forced to escape on overcrowded boats across dangerous waters.

Al-Haidari stresses that international efforts must prioritize protecting civilians, securing safe corridors and ensuring unhindered access to essential health services.

Protecting these mothers and infants is fundamental to preserving the core of Yemen’s society during this ongoing catastrophe.

Conflict destroys future Yemeni potential

Displacement journeys frequently expose innocent children to malnutrition, dangerous dehydration and severe, long-lasting psychological trauma that impacts their development.

Abdul Rahman Berman, executive director of the American Center for Justice (AFC), highlights the long-term devastation caused by this relentless wartime instability.

"A child who loses their home, education and family stability carries the profound effects of this suffering for years," he said.

On September 16, UNICEF reported that over 57,000 children have been displaced since the escalation began, causing widespread disruption to critical local educational services.

Observers warn that Yemeni children were already suffering from malnutrition and a fragile health environment well before the war.

The ongoing conflict exacerbates their current misery, effectively threatening the very generation upon which Yemen’s eventual reconstruction depends.

"The war consumes societies' present while draining vital human capital, ultimately casting the nation’s future into uncertainty and darkness," Berman said.

Safeguarding the health of these youth remains essential, as the repercussions of war extend far beyond immediate survival needs.

Protecting Yemen's future requires stabilizing the economy, restoring state institutions and ensuring that children have a secure path forward.