SITUATION UPDATE
Since pro-government forces regained control of Yemen’s Aden Governorate in mid-July, humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate elsewhere as fighting shifts from southern parts of Yemen toward its central governorates. Conflict has intensified significantly in Taiz, blocking major access routes into the governorate and hampering communications with residents inside. International Medical Corps programs are ongoing in Taiz; however, staff movements are limited by insecurity and fighting.
In Sana’a, relief organizations are monitoring developments carefully, anticipating that shifts in conflict will impact the humanitarian situation in the capital and potentially affect relief operations. Field reports indicate that Sana’a residents are beginning to stockpile food and fuel as a precaution against potential escalated fighting. International Medical Corps has begun developing plans and adapting programs to ensure their continuation in the event that security conditions in Sana’a deteriorate. To the west, Saudi-led coalition forces conducted strikes on Hudaydah port on August 18, destroying cranes and warehouses; the port serves as a primary logistics hub for humanitarian aid to Yemen.