Yemen war escalates: Houthi militia attacks Saudi Arabia, WFP warns of famine
Quick Look
Yemen's Houthi militia has stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, while the World Food Program warns of accelerating famine as three in four households can no longer meet their basic needs and 90 percent of food must be imported.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Yemen has been mired in a humanitarian crisis for years due to the civil war between the Houthi militia and the internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition.
The Yemen war continues to escalate: The Houthi militia is again increasingly shelling targets in neighboring Saudi Arabia. The kingdom, in turn, is allied with the internationally recognized government in Yemen and repeatedly bombs the Houthis. In the capital Sanaa, for example, several heavy explosions were heard again. In view of the flaring fighting, the World Food Program (WFP) is warning of an “absolutely devastating” famine.
“Hunger in Yemen is accelerating before our eyes today,” said Matthew Hollingworth of the WFP.
Soups made from leaves and grasses
Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been mired in a humanitarian crisis for years. Since the new outbreak of fighting, according to the WFP, three out of four households in the country of 35 million inhabitants can no longer meet their basic needs. "That's the highest number this year in just a few weeks," Hollingworth said, highlighting that prices in Yemen were rising sharply. According to him, 90 percent of the food consumed in the country has to be imported.
"We are increasing our efforts as WFP, but we have to do so with very limited resources and with limited access to the areas we need to go to," Hollingworth said, warning that the crisis could spread far beyond Yemen's borders. Families walked for days without food or water to get to the cities, others tried to survive on bread and soups made from leaves and grasses.
"If we don't get new funding, we'll run out of supplies and money in a few weeks," Hollingworth continued. The WFP is helping more than 1.5 million people in government-controlled areas, but it can no longer reach 350,000 people it has previously supported. "If the world doesn't increase its support for Yemen soon, the outlook will become increasingly bleak."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The WFP will run out of supplies and funding in a matter of weeks unless new funding is provided.
Very likely · Within weeks
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen will continue to worsen and could have repercussions beyond the country's borders.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- When will sufficient international funding be made available for the WFP?
- How can access to blocked areas in Yemen be improved?
- What diplomatic efforts are currently underway to de-escalate the conflict?
