DJIBOUTI — Thousands of Yemeni people have fled by boat across the Bab al-Mandab Strait to northern Djibouti. The refugee crossings occurred over the last ten days prior to September 22, 2026.

The UN International Organisation for It was reported that refugees were travelling on overcrowded boats and arriving with very limited food and water. Some of the refugees are from the town of Dhubab, which is on the front lines of the war between the Houthis and Saudi-backed pro-government Yemeni forces.

Ibrahim Issa, a fisherman, described the conditions that drove families to leave. "How could I just sit there when my kids are screaming and shaking in terror?" he said. He explained that the noise of aircraft caused immediate panic among children.

"When the sound of the planes starts, and the kids hear the planes, they begin shouting and screaming. As parents, it is our responsibility; what can you do when you see this? That is why we fled, to save them," Ibrahim Issa said.

"We don't care which side it is that's attacking. It's the bombs falling all around us that have caused us to flee," refugees said. Officials in Obock, Djibouti, are preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees.

Why It Matters

The scale of the displacement involves thousands of individuals crossing a strategic waterway under dangerous conditions. The expectation of improved sea conditions by mid-October suggests that the flow of refugees may continue or increase in the near term.

Djibouti authorities face the logistical challenge of accommodating up to 10,000 new arrivals with limited resources. The conflict dynamics involving the Houthis and international actors such as the United States and Saudi Arabia remain central to the ongoing instability driving these movements.

Timeline

The Yemen civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa. Trump instructed the Pentagon to prepare airstrikes against Houthi targets after speaking with bin Salman on Thursday. US President Donald Trump called off planned US airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen at a late stage. The refugee crossings occurred over the last ten days prior to September 22, 2026.

What's New

Over the past four days, more than 2,400 people have made the sea crossing from Yemen to Djibouti, arriving mainly through Obock, Khor Angar, Moulhoule and Godoria. Officials in Obock, Djibouti, are preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees. More than 10,000 arrivals are expected in Djibouti, Mr. Baloch explained, as sea conditions are forecasted to improve by mid-October. The UN International Organisation for It was reported that refugees were travelling on overcrowded boats and arriving with very limited food and water.