More than 333,000 people have been displaced across Yemen since August after a surge in fighting, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Civilians pay a heavy price as violence damages health facilities, forces families from their homes, and hinders humanitarian work, OCHA stated.
The UN Human Rights Office verified 289 civilian casualties since the beginning of August. This includes 72 deaths and 217 injuries.
Children accounted for half of those killed. Women and children combined made up nearly two-thirds of the total casualties.
The escalation follows the launch of the Dawn of Yemen military operation on October 5 by the Yemeni government. Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi stated that the operation aims to restore state institutions from the Houthi group and regain control of Sanaa.
Health infrastructure has also suffered direct impacts during the clashes. The World Health Organization reported that a ballistic missile destroyed the Al-Saqiya Health Center in Lahj province on November 1, resulting in the deaths of three health workers and four injuries.
Four days later, two health facilities sustained damage in Taiz city, threatening essential health services for approximately 12,000 people. WHO figures cited by OCHA indicate that 28 health facilities and seven ambulances have been damaged or destroyed, while 13 health workers have been killed or injured.
Taiz province currently hosts the largest displaced population, estimated at over 140,000 individuals. Movement inside Taiz city is restricted. Local authorities noted that only a single small shipment of around 400 bags of wheat flour was permitted entry on Wednesday.
Access route restrictions have disrupted commercial transport, created commodity shortages, and caused market instability. Local banks have also limited individual cash withdrawals.
Humanitarian agencies have reached more than 255,000 displaced people, primarily women and children. On Tuesday, relief organisations distributed drinking water and storage containers to over 6,200 people across Taiz and Aden, alongside 11 trucks carrying emergency medical supplies for hospitals.
OCHA reiterated its appeal for the protection of civilians and requested safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Yemen, including Taiz city.
