Yemen is plunging back into full-scale conflict as fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government intensifies. More than 46,000 people fled their homes in just one week, many escaping with little more than the clothes on their backs. The violence has shattered a fragile cease-fire that had largely held since 2022.

The country already faced severe hunger, disease, and displacement even before the latest surge. The U.N. World Food Program has suspended food aid and cut cash assistance due to funding shortages, said Carl Skau, the agency's acting executive director. Families report selling belongings to afford one meal a day, while disrupted shipping and extreme weather worsen the crisis.

Houthi forces recently captured Mokha, a strategic Red Sea port city in Taiz Province, and an island near Bab al-Mandab, a major maritime chokepoint. The militia has also attacked Saudi oil facilities, pushing up global oil prices. Yemeni civilians say they simply want the war to stop so they can return home.