Yemen Conflict Triggers Mass Displacement, UN Says 125,000 Have Fled Since July

An estimated 125,000 people, including more than 57,000 children, have been displaced by fighting in Yemen since hostilities intensified in July, according to figures cited by the United Nations.

The violence pits Iran-backed Houthi rebels against the Yemeni government and its ally Saudi Arabia. The UN has described the resulting displacement as one of the most rapid and volatile waves seen in Yemen in recent years.

According to reporting by France 24, thousands of those fleeing have attempted the dangerous crossing of the Bab el-Mandeb strait to reach Djibouti. Many making the journey are children, travelling in extreme heat and often without adequate access to water, the report said.

France 24 quoted refugees describing harrowing conditions during their escape, with one person recounting, "We cried the whole way," reflecting the emotional toll of the journey.

The scale and speed of the displacement have raised concerns among humanitarian organisations about the capacity of receiving areas, both within Yemen and across the strait in Djibouti, to accommodate the influx of people fleeing the renewed conflict.

Yemen has endured years of conflict involving multiple armed factions, and the latest surge in fighting since July has added new pressure on a population already affected by prolonged instability, according to the report.