Recent strikes in and around Al Mokha have hit densely populated civilian areas, raising the risk of casualties
IRC has suspended field operations and staff movement in the west coast, disrupting program delivery and limiting reach to communities
A return to full scale conflict would deepen a crisis in which more than half of Yemen's population already needs humanitarian assistance
Aden, Yemen, August 11, 2026 — Renewed fighting between Ansar Allah and Yemen's Internationally Recognized Government has forced the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to temporarily suspend field movements in the west coast, after recent strikes hit densely populated civilian areas in and around Al Mokha city. The suspension is disrupting program delivery and limiting the IRC's ability to reach communities in need. However, critical health and protection services remain available in the west coast through IRC-supported clinics, while programs in other governorates continue as normal.
The attacks on Al Mokha are part of a broader pattern of escalation spreading across Yemen in recent weeks. Continued fighting risks undermining a fragile truce and further cutting off people already in need of humanitarian assistance from essential services. IRC’s health team in Al Mokha report that children are missing routine immunization appointments and patients are avoiding medical care because they are too scared to leave their homes.
"People across Yemen are already struggling to survive, and in the west coast, IRC supported health facilities are often the only source of care nearby," said Julie Hefner, IRC Yemen Deputy Director of Programs. "Pregnant women and children already walk for miles, exposed to the elements, to reach the care they need. We cannot let this escalation cut them off from it."
A return to full scale war would strike a country that is already buckling under the weight of a decade of conflict. More than 22 million people, roughly half of Yemen's population, need humanitarian assistance this year, and 18.3 million people face acute food insecurity. The 2026 response plan for Yemen remains funded at less than a fifth of what is required, leaving families with fewer options just as needs are rising.
All parties to the conflict must take every precaution to protect civilians and preserve safe, unimpeded humanitarian access, regardless of how frontlines shift. Yemen cannot afford a return to full-scale war, which would prove catastrophic for millions already facing severe humanitarian needs. Donors and the international community must also urgently step up support and funding to ensure people can access the essential services they depend on.
