The United Nations refugee agency announced Tuesday that over 100,000 people have been internally displaced by intensified fighting in Yemen, with thousands more fleeing by sea to Djibouti. The surge stems from a Houthi offensive along the country's western Red Sea coast.

Iran-aligned Houthi forces have advanced toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, seizing the port of Mokha and nearby islands including Perim and Zuqar. These moves threaten a vital global shipping route. The Houthis have also escalated attacks on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure.

Saudi and Yemeni air forces responded with strikes on Houthi targets. Reports indicate civilian casualties on both sides, including claims of deaths from Saudi airstrikes in Taiz province and injuries in Saudi cities from Houthi projectiles.

The International Organization for Migration reported nearly 94,000 newly displaced since early September, with higher UN estimates reaching 125,000 when including recent weeks. Hardest-hit areas include Taiz and Lahj governorates. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted due to insecurity, damaged roads, and telecommunications issues.

Over 2,400 people have reached Djibouti, many women, children, and elderly. The conflict, ongoing since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, has seen a fragile 2022 truce unravel amid this latest escalation.

The Houthi push highlights Iran's role in arming and directing the group, according to regional sources, further destabilizing the region and pressuring global energy supplies already strained by other Middle East tensions.