IOM says over 300,000 displaced in Yemen as fighting escalates in the west

Displacement figures

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on 1 November 2026 that more than 300,000 people have been displaced in Yemen by the war. The agency put the rise at 100,000 over a period of less than a month. It attributes the new movements to escalating fighting between government forces recognised by the international community and the Houthis, who control the north and centre of the country, including the capital, Sana'a. Most of the displacement was recorded in the two months before the report. Families are struggling to find shelter and to cover their basic needs as the crisis deepens.

Where people are going

Fighting in the west has pushed the largest numbers toward the south. More than 43,000 people left the Al Madaribah Wa Al Aarah district in Lahj during October alone, the highest figure recorded in a single district. Many of those families are heading to Aden, which hosts more than 56,000 displaced people. Displacement in Taiz governorate is also still rising, according to the agency. The national total, the Lahj figure and the Aden figure are shown below, each with its own date.

Nationwide, reported 1 November 2026300,000

Aden, reported 1 November 202656,000

Lahj district, October 202643,000

Nationwide, reported 1 November 2026

300000 people

Aden, reported 1 November 2026

56000 people

Lahj district, October 2026

43000 people

Data from the article text

Prices and access

Fighting has also driven up the cost of basic goods. According to the IOM, essential goods in the city of Taiz cost three to five times more than before, because clashes have cut off the surrounding areas and made even basic food unavailable to many families. Access restrictions make it harder for aid agencies to reach people in need. The IOM calls on all parties to protect civilians and aid workers and to guarantee safe, unobstructed humanitarian access, particularly in the hard-to-reach areas of Taiz.

Response and funding

The IOM runs five mobile medical teams in four governorates: Marib, Lahj, Aden and Taiz, with two of the teams working in Taiz. In the week before the statement, the teams carried out almost 1,000 consultations. The agency acknowledges "generous contributions" from donors but says it needs more money, specifically 45 million dollars (about 40 million euros) over six months. Without that funding, the agency warns, thousands of families could be left without the aid they urgently need.

Background to the fighting

Yemen returned to war in July 2026, after four years of relative calm, drawn in by the conflict in the Middle East. Hostilities intensified in September after a Houthi offensive in western Yemen strengthened their control over the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which links Europe to Asia via the Suez Canal. Since then Saudi Arabia, an ally of the Yemeni government, has regularly bombed Houthi positions, and the Houthis have responded by stepping up attacks on Saudi territory. The reports describe the Houthis as aligned with Iran. The timeline below sets out the main milestones.