Thousands of Yemenis Flee to Djibouti as Houthi Offensive Intensifies

Djiboutian authorities report that more than 3,400 individuals have arrived on the country’s northern coast from Yemen over a two-day period, marking a sharp escalation in displacement triggered by recent combat in Yemen. The state news agency confirmed the figures on Sunday, noting that the influx began the previous weekend and has placed significant pressure on a nation of fewer than 1.2 million residents with limited humanitarian resources.

The surge follows a Houthi military offensive that captured the Red Sea port city of Mocha and pushed toward the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the narrow waterway separating Yemen from Djibouti. Footage from state broadcaster RTD depicted wooden dhows and larger vessels crowding into the port of Obock, carrying women, children, and displaced families clutching personal belongings.

Alexandre Coissac, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Djibouti, told Al Jazeera that arrivals have utilized various vessel types, including one ship that recently transported hundreds of people. He highlighted that fuel shortages have made the journey increasingly perilous, leaving some families stranded on the Yemeni side. UNICEF reported that children crossing the strait face extreme heat, dehydration, and insufficient clean drinking water.

The IOM estimates that internal displacement in Yemen has exceeded 85,000 people, with the majority of these movements occurring in the first two weeks of September. Entire districts, including Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi, have been abandoned due to fighting. The crisis was further exacerbated when Houthi forces seized the strategic island of Mayyun, also known as Perim, in early September. Djibouti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it was monitoring the situation closely while supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

Djibouti’s Finance Minister, Ilyas Dawaleh, documented the rapid increase in arrivals via social media, recording 500 people by September 11, 1,400 the following day, and over 2,000 by nightfall. By September 13, Dawaleh warned that the pace was becoming unsustainable for the country. In response, Djibouti’s coastguard, navy, army, and health services have been deployed to rescue those at sea and provide first aid and food at reception sites in Obock and Khor Angar.

Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed visited Obock on Sunday to meet with representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme, and the IOM. Authorities indicated they are prepared to host up to 10,000 additional refugees if the current trend persists. Dawaleh urged the international community to assist, noting that UN agencies on the ground appear to lack sufficient resources to support vulnerable arrivals with dignity.

The crisis extends beyond immediate humanitarian concerns due to Djibouti’s strategic location. The Bab al-Mandeb strait is a critical global shipping corridor, handling approximately one in eight tonnes of world seaborne trade daily. The country hosts military bases for the United States, China, France, Japan, and Italy, underscoring its role in securing maritime interests in the region.

Aden Omar Abdillahi, director of the Djibouti-based Institute of Political and Strategic Studies, emphasized that any disruption to maritime security would have severe economic consequences for Djibouti. He noted that the conflict between the US and Israel against Iran has already created uncertainty for smaller economies by disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Djibouti, which already hosts over 36,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers primarily from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen, is drawing on past experience. In 2015, more than 15,700 Yemenis arrived during a previous escalation of war. The Markazi camp near Obock, utilized a decade ago, is again being used to house new arrivals, though many others are staying with local residents in Obock.

Coissac observed that many newcomers are likely to remain in Djibouti rather than transit further. With humanitarian funding declining due to reductions from the United States and the United Kingdom, officials in Somali regions of Puntland and Somaliland have also requested UN assistance in preparing for potential arrivals at their ports if the exodus continues.