People fleeing Iran-backed rebels’ advance in Yemen describe a ‘hysterical panic’

Live updates

1. 2d ago

   Yemen Displacement Surges as Houthi Rebels Advance Along Red Sea

   Tens of thousands of civilians are fleeing a major Houthi offensive along Yemen's Red Sea coast, describing scenes of hysterical panic as fighting re-erupts. Total displacement has climbed past 76,000 people, with reports of 1,400 individuals crossing the water to Djibouti within 24 hours. The renewed violence follows Houthi advances that include capturing the port city of Mokha, an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the strategic islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish in the southern Red Sea.

   Why it matters

   The rapid Houthi offensive threatens to reignite an expansive conflict that previously caused widespread devastation and near-famine conditions prior to a 2022 ceasefire. The Yemeni government conceded a painful defeat after losing control of critical shipping lanes and coastal territories. In response, authorities have vowed to deploy additional forces to the Red Sea coast to counter the rebel advance.

   What is confirmed

   • Yemeni displacement has surpassed 76,000 people due to the Houthi coastal offensive.
   • Houthi rebels seized the islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish in the southern Red Sea.
   • The Yemeni government conceded a defeat last week after Houthis captured the port city of Mokha and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
   • Thousands of individuals fled across the water to Djibouti, with 1,400 arrivals recorded within a 24-hour window.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Civilians fleeing the Houthi advance have described the evacuation as a hysterical panic while leaving in only the clothes they were wearing.

   What to watch next

   • Deployment of additional Yemeni government forces to the Red Sea coast
   • Further maritime traffic disruptions and security developments in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
   • Updates on humanitarian relief operations for displaced populations in Djibouti and Yemen
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. The Guardian — Nearly 50,000 Yemeni civilians flee as Houthis advance along Red Sea coast
   2. The New York Times — ‘We Left in the Clothes We Were Wearing’: Yemenis Flee New Fighting
   3. Al Jazeera — Fighting re-erupts in Yemen and civilians are paying the price
   4. AP News — Iraq races to contain fallout after local Iran-backed militias accused of attacking Saudi pipeline
   5. International Organization for Migration — Displacement in Yemen Alarmingly Surges Past 46,000 Amid Escalating Fighting, IOM Chief
   6. Vanguard News — 1,400 flee Yemen to Djibouti as Houthis invade
   7. Al Jazeera — 1,400 Yemenis flee to Djibouti within 24 hours
   8. 10TV — AP News in Brief at 12:04 a.m. EDT
   9. i24NEWS — Yemen displacement tops 76,000 as Houthi coastal offensive sends 1,400 fleeing to Djibouti - report
   10. www.pbs.org — Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia
   11. www.foxnews.com — Iran says 1 killed on commercial ship in Strait of Hormuz; Houthis target Saudi Arabia
   12. www.nbcnews.com — People fleeing Iran-backed rebels’ advance in Yemen describe a ‘hysterical panic’
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