Over 17 Million in Yemen Face Hunger Crisis Amid Escalating Conflict and Aid Shortfalls, UN Warns
The humanitarian situation in Yemen has reached alarming levels, with over 17 million people currently facing hunger, Arab News reported quoting the United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher. Speaking before the UN Security Council, Fletcher highlighted that more than one million children under the age of five are suffering from acute malnutrition, a condition that poses life-threatening risks.
The food insecurity crisis, which has intensified since late 2023, could see the number of hungry people rise to over 18 million by September 2025. Similarly, the number of malnourished children is projected to increase to 1.2 million early next year, putting many at risk of permanent physical and cognitive damage.
Experts from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global authority on hunger severity, report that more than 17,000 Yemenis are currently in the most severe stages of food insecurity. Fletcher noted that such levels of deprivation have not been seen since before a UN-brokered truce in early 2022.
The worsening crisis is compounded by a sharp decline in global humanitarian aid funding. As of mid-May 2025, only 9 percent of the UN’s $2.5 billion humanitarian appeal for Yemen had been received. This shortfall has led to cuts or reductions in food assistance at a time when needs are escalating.
Yemen has been engulfed in a brutal civil war since 2014, with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels controlling the capital Sanaa and a Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized government. The conflict has resulted in more than 150,000 deaths and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned that recent Houthi attacks on Red Sea commercial vessels and Israeli airstrikes are intensifying the conflict, risking further destabilization. He called for safeguarding freedom of navigation and urged both sides to pursue negotiations and release detainees to foster peace.
Grundberg emphasized that a military solution is a “dangerous illusion” and stressed the importance of collective efforts to alleviate Yemen’s suffering and restore hope to its people.
