MSF in Yemen: 5 Questions & Answers

​1. What is currently happening in Yemen and in its western coast?

In September 2026, the Ansar Allah forces launched a rapid military operation down the western coast of Yemen, seizing strategic areas like the city of Mocha and Bab al-Mandab Strait. The incursion reached the vicinity of the third largest city in Yemen, Taiz, with roads and access to the south being blocked. In return, the internationally recognized government in Aden, backed by Saudi Arabia, announced a counter-offensive on 5 October, and fronts are reported to be progressing towards Bab al-Mandab and Dhubab. Today, territorial control remains unclear.

This escalation has led to a significant influx of displaced people fleeing the captured areas across the West Coast. It further increases the needs of a population who is already grappling with years of conflict and humanitarian crisis and extremely high levels of acute malnutrition, cholera and acute watery diarrhoea, measles, and other communicable diseases.
​

2. What is the humanitarian situation?

Across Yemen, more than 22 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian support and around 5,2 million people are displaced according to the UNHCR.

This latest escalation is taking place against the backdrop of an already severe and chronically underfunded humanitarian crisis in the country. More than 200,000 people have been displaced due to the insecurity in the past month, according to the UN. As MSF teams have observed in recent mobile clinics, displaced people have had to undertake very long journeys to reach safer areas, often on foot, across desertic lands, with high temperatures and limited access to food and shelter. Many have settled around Lahj governorate, and in the outskirts of Aden. They are in critical need of medical and humanitarian support, including access to water and sanitation in the informal schools, mosques, or other places where they settle. The risk of water borne diseases like cholera is increasing rapidly in the current conditions.

The ongoing escalation is adding new pressure to an already overstretched medical system. The availability of health facilities that was already affected by the humanitarian crisis has been affected by the resumption of hostilities with less capacity to respond to the ever-increasing needs of the population.
​

3. What are the most pressing medical needs that you are seeing?

Food insecurity and current loss of livelihoods is leading to an increase of malnutrition cases, cholera is on the rise, and access to health services and referrals are compromised.

In the many camps across Lahj and Aden governorates, 70% of the patients treated by MSF mobile clinics are women and children. People present with skin infections, fever, diarrhoea, and communicable diseases. The long walks have caused foot injuries, ear and eye infections due to the long journeys. Displaced people who cannot find shelter in host communities, formal or informal camps have been seen by our teams on the road or sleeping under the shade of trees.
​

4. How is MSF responding?

MSF is focusing on the continuity of care, while supporting the health authorities to respond to increased medical and humanitarian needs. Medical needs were already very high in Mocha before the escalation, with many of the women presenting in labour to Mocha General Hospital being malnourished.

We continue to support the paediatrics and maternity services at Mocha General Hospital, where we received 567 patients between the 10 September and 6 October at the emergency department, and assisted in 45 deliveries. In the primary healthcare centre supported by MSF in Khokha, north of Mocha, the medical teams are providing an average of 130 to 160 consultations per day, with 2,122 patients seen at the triage during the same period. The cholera treatment unit has also been reactivated in the healthcare centre of Khokha.

In early September, we pre-positioned emergency medical kits in the two primary healthcare centres in Khokha and Mafraq al Mocha, as well as in Dhubab's primary healthcare centre. Up until now, our teams have not been treated trauma injuries directly.

In response to the needs of displaced people, we sent mobile clinics across Aden and Lahj governorates with 775 total consultations since 15 September, while 20 children were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. Assessments across south Yemen are being carried to identify camps and improvised settlements where people have limited access to healthcare.

To support the health authorities in their response to the emergency, capacity building activities are carried out in Ibn Khaldoun hospital in Lahj, and four trauma kits were sent to Taiz hospitals. MSF is also providing support to trauma services and donations at the emergency department of Al-Jumhouria Hospital in Aden.

We continue to further assess ways of adapting our operations to respond to the emerging needs.
​

5. What more can be done?

An urgent and rapid scale-up of the humanitarian response is needed to address acute and growing needs. Displaced population living in dire conditions urgently need food, water and sanitation, shelter, and essential items.

Actors and authorities must ensure and expand access to healthcare for the people affected by the crisis. Displacement, insecurity, and overstretched services are leaving many unable to reach urgently needed care.

In this context of heightened insecurity, civilians and healthcare must be protected at all times.