290,000 Yemenis displaced as war spreads into Saudi territory

The resumption of hostilities in Yemen has driven at least 290,000 people from their homes since August, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The agency reported that the conflict has intensified between government forces and Houthi rebels, particularly in Taiz governorate and coastal regions. This escalation has pushed the war across the border into Saudi Arabia, where coalition forces intercepted a hostile drone over the Riyadh region on Saturday. It marks the second such interception over the capital area in two days.

Humanitarian conditions have deteriorated rapidly for refugees and asylum seekers within Yemen. An OCHA report published Friday noted that 65,000 individuals face disrupted services and rising costs for food and fuel. Among the recently displaced are 6,100 pregnant women, with 600 expected to give birth within the next two weeks. The United Nations has deployed mobile medical teams and midwives to displacement sites to address these urgent needs.

Aid organizations have delivered food, hygiene supplies, and emergency cash to approximately 249,000 people. This figure represents roughly three-quarters of the displaced population. The financial and material support aims to stabilize households that have lost access to basic infrastructure due to ongoing fighting.

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, denied that the group launched drones toward Saudi territory. He described the coalition claims as egregious lies. The group has previously acknowledged attacks on Riyadh’s airport and oil infrastructure but has often disputed strikes on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. On Friday, Saudi Arabia announced that it downed drones near Mecca, Medina, and Riyadh, along with a missile targeted at the kingdom’s south.

In Aden, the interim capital, the government announced that Houthis fired at least three ballistic missiles at the Maashiq presidential palace. Missiles also struck Aden International Airport, which had reopened on Thursday following repairs from a previous attack. The government cabinet called the airport strike a direct attack on citizen interests. Spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili stated that government forces neutralized about 336 Houthi fighters and destroyed 112 vehicles and equipment units in recent hours across several fronts.

Civilian casualties continue to mount. The United Nations has verified 270 civilian casualties since August, including 68 killed. Half of those killed were children. The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms recorded at least 189 civilian deaths in Taiz province between September 1 and October 29, including 38 children and 27 women. The group also documented 23 field executions and over 300 abductions. Fighting has closed roads that block food and water to two million people in the region.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud attended the G20 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday. He discussed the Yemen situation with counterparts from the United States, Russia, and Europe. He and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand issued a joint statement condemning the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The war in Yemen began in September 2014 when Houthi forces captured Sanaa, and it intensified in March 2015 with the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition. Fighting reignited after government forces targeted Sanaa International Airport in early 2026.