# Yemen's hospitals collapse as civil war returns > A new surge in fighting has overwhelmed Yemen's fragile health system, leaving patients without beds, medicines, or basic care. - Title: Yemen's hospitals collapse as civil war returns · NBC News - Summary: A new surge in fighting has overwhelmed Yemen's fragile health system, leaving patients without beds, medicines, or basic care. Yemen's already struggling… - Keywords: yemen, civil war, houthis, saudi arabia, iran, healthcare collapse, humanitarian crisis, aden, hospitals overwhelmed, malnutrition, maternal mortality, politics - Source: NBC News — https://nbcnews.com/world/yemen/yemens-civil-war-returns-overwhelms-hospitals-dangerous-situation-rcna599934 - Author: The Associated Press - Published: 2026-09-26T00:38:40.143+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: yemen, civil war, houthis, saudi arabia, iran, healthcare collapse, humanitarian crisis, aden, hospitals overwhelmed, malnutrition, maternal mortality, politics ## A boy's desperate journey Seven-year-old Tarek al-Salami walked 170 miles from Mokha to Aden after Iran-backed rebels swept in this month. Hospitals had no beds, so he ended up at a feeding center, arriving in acute crisis. > I swear to God, when I look at him, my heart breaks. He looks almost lifeless. ## Fighting returns to Yemen Iran-backed Houthis have advanced against government forces supported by Saudi Arabia, triggering a new front in the Middle East's power struggle. Over 130,000 people have fled their homes. ## Hospitals shut down, then reopen Most health centers closed for 48 hours after fighting escalated, then reopened to handle a flood of wounded. The Houthis seized the Red Sea coast, including key ports for aid delivery. ## Trauma patients get priority Less than 10 percent of affected health centers have full trauma services. Hospitals are turning away pregnant women and others in need to focus on the wounded. ## Maternity crisis deepens Three Yemeni women died daily from pregnancy complications even before the escalation. Now around 2,000 pregnant women are displaced, with over 200 expected to deliver in the next week. ## Maternity wards become emergency rooms Hospitals near fighting have converted maternity wards into emergency rooms. Many lack anesthesia drugs, oxygen supplies, and sterile surgical gloves needed for safe deliveries. ## One hospital doubles deliveries Martyr Mohamed Hayel hospital in Marib is handling about 80 childbirths now, double the usual number, as other hospitals focus on wounded. Staff lack intensive care specialists and generators. ## Healthcare was already broken Before the escalation, Yemen's hospitals relied on limited government support and citizen donations. Some could not fully pay staff or maintain basic equipment. ## Taiz province overwhelmed Taiz received most newly displaced people and 635 casualties in one week. Three of 17 hospitals lost government control, and supply routes were cut off, forcing convoys onto unsuitable mountain roads. > We are in a very dangerous situation. Within a day or two, or a week at most, we might have to close down some facilities. ## Children share beds, incubators full At the Yemeni-Swedish Maternity and Children's Hospital in Taiz, incubators are full and two or three children share beds in the emergency room. Staff fear explosions could destroy the already weakened building. ## Medical workers are fleeing Some doctors and health professionals have abandoned their posts, making care harder to find. In Mokha, Doctors Without Borders operates with a small team despite severe staff shortages. ## Yemen remains a forgotten crisis Yemen was already one of the world's worst humanitarian crises before fighting resumed. Closed roads and limited aid access make resupply nearly impossible for hospitals. > We should not forget about Yemen. It remains one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. ## Key takeaway Yemen's already struggling hospitals cannot handle the influx of wounded from renewed fighting, forcing impossible choices between treating trauma victims and pregnant women.