UNHCR warns of worsening crisis for 65,000 refugees trapped in Yemen amid escalating conflict

Escalating hostilities in Yemen have triggered severe displacement and humanitarian emergencies, with over 290,000 Yemenis uprooted since August 2026 and 65,000 refugees trapped without adequate aid. A Houthi siege on Taiz has pushed 1 million residents into famine, blocking critical food and water supplies, while Saudi airstrikes and multi-front clashes continue. Meanwhile, over 134,000 migrants crossed from the Horn of Africa in 2026, compounding strain on UNHCR's critically underfunded relief operations.

UNHCR reports on funding and crisis in Yemen

• ▪UNHCR announced on October 30, 2026, that its Yemen operation is only 19 percent funded, receiving $36 million of the required $194 million for 2026.
• ▪UNHCR reported on October 30, 2026, that more than 65,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Yemen face a worsening humanitarian crisis due to escalating conflict, economic collapse, and severe aid constraints.

Disruption at Kharaz refugee camp

• ▪Nearby shelling at Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj Governorate, housing 9,500 Somali and Ethiopian refugees, suspended school operations and documentation services as of October 30, 2026.
• ▪Displaced refugees in Yemen's Kharaz camp face rising fuel and staple food prices while attempting to reach safety in southern cities like Aden along active conflict routes.

Voluntary refugee returns and disrupted evacuations

• ▪UNHCR facilitated three voluntary evacuation flights from Aden to Mogadishu between August 2026 and October 2026, returning 607 Somali refugees to Somalia.
• ▪Over 1,100 refugees in Yemen expressed interest in returning home, but continuous shelling at local airports has jeopardized further evacuation flights as of October 30, 2026.

Migration and displacement to and from Yemen

• ▪UNHCR recorded more than 134,000 asylum-seekers and migrants arriving in Yemen by sea from the Horn of Africa during the first nine months of 2026.
• ▪Shifting maritime smuggling routes led to at least 139 migrant deaths off the coast of Djibouti in October 2026 while attempting sea crossings to Yemen.
• ▪Approximately 4,200 people fled Yemen by sea to Djibouti and Somalia between September 2026 and late October 2026 due to escalating violence.

Accusations and reports of Houthi siege in Taiz

• ▪Taiz Governor Nabil Shamsan stated on October 29, 2026, that a Houthi siege beginning in early October 2026 pushed the city of 1 million residents into active famine.
• ▪Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi on October 29, 2026, denied reports of a siege on Taiz, calling allegations Saudi-fabricated while stating Houthi forces only block weapons supplies.
• ▪The World Food Program reported on October 29, 2026, that it cannot reach over 600,000 aid-dependent residents in Taiz, where wheat flour supplies are nearly exhausted.
• ▪Human Rights Watch stated on October 29, 2026, that the Houthi siege of Taiz could constitute a war crime by using civilian starvation as a method of warfare.

Shipping disruptions impact regional aid

• ▪Aid agencies are alternating regional transport corridors and ports, including Salalah and Jeddah, adding delays and costs to life-saving aid deliveries.
• ▪Disruption in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait increased average sea freight rates into Port Sudan by up to 48 percent between Q3 and Q4 2026, hampering global aid delivery.