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 latest fighting between the Houthis and forces loyal to the Aden-based government, backed by Saudi Arabia, has sparked a fresh humanitarian crisis.
Already, more than 3,000 people have fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti in the space of a week. At the same time, the number of people displaced within Yemen by the recent fighting could swell from more than 1,30,000 today to over 2,30,000 people, he said.
UNHCR said it was bracing for that number to rise significantly, especially after mid-October when the current difficult sea conditions are expected to improve. The agency and its partners are now “planning for more than 10,000 arrivals in Djibouti” in the coming months, Mr. Baloch said.
