Posted on 18 January 2024
Since the initiation of the Israel Gaza conflict on October 7, Yemen’s Houthis rebels have been conducting missile attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, targeting those on route to Israel. Since January 11, US and UK have responded through strikes on Houthis targets in Yemen, and with Houthis vowing to retaliate, there is concern for increased and widespread conflict in the region.
Yemen is already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with 21 million people requiring humanitarian assistance. 26 aid organisations operating in Yemen stated in a joint press release that this escalation “will only worsen the situation for vulnerable civilians and hinder the ability of aid organisations to deliver critical services.” They urge political leaders to consider how continued military escalation could renew conflict in Yemen, and the wider region, and have dire humanitarian consequences.