# Thousands flee Yemen as Houthis advance

> Fighting on Yemen's west coast has sent thousands of people fleeing by boat to Djibouti in just ten days.
- Title: Thousands flee Yemen as Houthis advance · BBC News | Shortify
- Summary: Fighting on Yemen's west coast has sent thousands of people fleeing by boat to Djibouti in just ten days. A Houthi offensive to seize a strategic port has…
- Keywords: yemen, houthis, djibouti, refugees, bab al-mandab strait, mokha port, iran-backed houthis, military offensive, humanitarian crisis, boat crossings, news, world
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c6z0z2nne11vo
- Published: 2026-09-21T10:00:31.416+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: yemen, houthis, djibouti, refugees, bab al-mandab strait, mokha port, iran-backed houthis, military offensive, humanitarian crisis, boat crossings, news, world
## Houthis launch strategic offensive
The Iran-backed Houthi movement has launched an offensive on Yemen's west coast to seize control of a key island and capture the strategically important port of Mokha.
## Mass exodus across the strait
Over the last ten days, thousands of people have fled Yemen by boat across the Bab al-Mandab Strait to reach Djibouti, a small port nation across the water.
## Dangerous journey with few supplies
The UN's International Organisation for Migration reports that refugees are travelling on overcrowded boats and arriving with very limited food and water.
## Djibouti prepares for influx
Officials in Obock, a small port town in Djibouti, are preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees fleeing the fighting in Yemen.
## BBC documents the crisis
BBC correspondent Frank Gardner visited the refugee camp in Obock to report on the humanitarian situation unfolding as people arrive from Yemen.
## Key takeaway

A Houthi offensive to seize a strategic port has triggered a refugee crisis, with thousands arriving in Djibouti on overcrowded boats with minimal supplies.