More than 3,400 people have fled renewed fighting in Yemen and arrived in Djibouti within 48 hours, as Houthi forces advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast towards the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The surge in arrivals is putting additional pressure on Djibouti’s already stretched humanitarian services, with authorities preparing for as many as 10,000 new arrivals if the current pace continues.
The latest crossings follow a renewed Houthi offensive in which the group has seized the Red Sea port of Mocha and advanced south along the coast. Houthi forces have also taken control of Mayyun, or Perim Island, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The narrow waterway separates Yemen from Djibouti and is one of the world’s key maritime routes, making the latest territorial advances a concern beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis.
Djiboutian authorities have deployed coastguard, navy, army and health personnel to receive people arriving along the northern coast, particularly around Obock and Khor Angar.
The International Organization for Migration said people were arriving on vessels ranging from small fishing boats to larger commercial ships, with some crossings becoming increasingly difficult because of fuel shortages on the Yemeni side.
UNICEF has warned that children making the journey face extreme heat, dehydration and limited access to safe drinking water.
The latest movement comes as the wider conflict has displaced more than 100,000 people inside Yemen, according to the UN refugee agency, with insecurity and damaged infrastructure complicating humanitarian operations.
The country already hosts more than 36,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, placing further pressure on humanitarian resources as the latest influx continues.