UN Condemns Houthi Attacks on Southern Saudi Arabia, Warns of Escalating Fighting in Yemen
International Voice – September 8, 2026
The United Nations has condemned cross-border Houthi attacks targeting multiple locations in southern Saudi Arabia, noting their impact on civilians and energy infrastructure.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric expressed serious concern over reports of civilian casualties, as well as the escalation of military clashes across several fronts in Yemen, particularly reports indicating that civilians may have been killed or injured in the fighting.
During the daily press briefing, Dujarric called on the parties to exercise restraint and prevent further escalation. He also urged them to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, refrain from targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and take necessary precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects from harm.
Dujarric said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, continues to engage directly with the parties in an effort to contain the current escalation and keep the door open for dialogue.
He warned that continued military escalation would have devastating political, economic and security consequences for Yemen and called on the parties to engage constructively in the UN-led political process.
Devastating Humanitarian Impact
Humanitarian workers reported that the escalating fighting is causing severe damage to communities already struggling to survive after more than a decade of conflict in Yemen.
Since the fighting intensified on September 3, more than 5,600 families have been displaced in Taiz and southern Hodeidah governorates.
At least 11 civilian casualties were reported over the past week, including two children who were killed and nine people who were injured.
In Marib, reports indicated that sites hosting displaced people were shelled over the weekend, killing two children and injuring 15 others. Shelters were also destroyed, forcing some families to spend the night in the open.
Humanitarian organizations are mobilizing their response. By Monday, humanitarian partners had reached approximately 2,340 families, primarily in Taiz, as well as some families in Marib and Abyan, providing them with emergency supplies.
Challenges in Delivering Humanitarian Aid
Dujarric said reaching many people in need remains a major challenge and renewed the UN’s call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and facilitate humanitarian assistance to everyone who needs it, regardless of their location.
He stressed the urgent need for additional funding to expand the humanitarian response, noting that $7 million is required for the Rapid Response Mechanism alone, in addition to another $3 million for shelter and household supplies.
Yemen’s overall humanitarian appeal, valued at $2.2 billion, remains severely underfunded, with only 20 percent funded, equivalent to $438 million.
Thousands Displaced Along Yemen’s Western Coast
Separately, the International Organization for Migration said renewed fighting along Yemen’s western coast and in parts of Taiz and Hodeidah has forced thousands of people from their homes, amid reports of civilian deaths and injuries as clashes intensify.
According to estimates from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, the government and partners, approximately 18,500 people have been displaced in Taiz and Hodeidah governorates since hostilities rapidly escalated on September 3.
The organization warned that the number continues to rise hour by hour as displaced families arrive in host communities and displacement sites.
Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Yemen, said families are arriving with nothing — without shelter or food and with no way of knowing when they will be able to return safely. He noted that many have already been displaced once, twice or even four times, losing what they had managed to rebuild each time fighting resumes.
Esoev also expressed serious concern over reports that some families may be unable to safely leave frontline areas because of ongoing fighting and insecurity along transit routes.
Reports indicate significant displacement from affected communities in Maqbanah, Al-Ma’afer and Jabal Habashi, including Al-Hajib, Al-Rajihi, Hayjat Jabih and Al-Kadaha.
Renewed fighting has also reportedly caused secondary displacement among families previously living in displacement sites in Hays.
IOM said it is working alongside Yemen’s Executive Unit for Internally Displaced Persons and humanitarian partners to monitor, verify and consolidate displacement figures, identify those most urgently in need of assistance and mobilize resources for a rapid response.
The organization reported that 663 families in Taiz and Hodeidah had been reached and provided with essential household supplies, with additional assistance on the way.
IOM called on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, provide safe passage for families attempting to flee and ensure unhindered humanitarian access to people who remain trapped by the fighting.
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