Thousands making risky maritime journey to Djibouti as conflict between Yemen gov’t and Houthis intensifies.

More than 100,000 people have been forced to flee the conflict in Yemen between the Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, according to the United Nations.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the rapidly escalating hostilities along Yemen’s western coast have displaced more than 100,000 people inside the country, and forced thousands more to risk the dangerous journey across the Bab al-Mandeb strait to reach Djibouti in search of safety.

The UNHCR statement warned that the violence threatens to trigger a humanitarian crisis, as more people are displaced, pressuring communities with limited resources.

The agency said it requires an estimated $14m in new funding to meet the immediate needs of displaced families inside Yemen, with additional support needed for those arriving in Djibouti.

“Many families fled at short notice with few belongings. Shelter, food, clean water, health care and protection services are among the most urgent needs, as receiving communities and displacement sites become overstretched,” the statement reads.

More than 65,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers inside Yemen, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia, are also facing risks due to the fighting.

The displacement began when the Iran-aligned Houthis began a rapid advance, seizing control of the entirety of Yemen’s Red Sea coast to cement their grip on Bab al-Mandeb.

The strategic waterway is a critical maritime corridor linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and has become an alternative shipping route as the United States’ war against Iran choked the Strait of Hormuz.

Aisha Muhammad, a displaced woman, had to leave her five children in their village near the port city of Mocha when it was overrun by the Houthis last week.

“They are being blocked and shot at, so they are trapped inside their homes. They are cooking only rice, no bread, nothing else. My daughters called me saying they want to join us, but it has become too difficult,” said Muhammad.

Hussein Haydara, a displaced man from Hodeidah, said he was forced to escape suddenly with his family.

“You could barely take your children and the fewest essentials with you,” he said. “We were terrified of the shelling and sniper fire, and you just flee as quickly as you can out of fear for your children and your family.”

UNHCR reports that more than 2,400 people made the journey across the Bab al-Mandeb strait in the past four days. Most arrivals are women, children and older people, it said.

“People are arriving after a difficult sea journey, many exhausted, distressed and carrying what little they could take with them,” Sandrine Desamours, UNHCR’s representative in Djibouti, said.