Sana'a – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning about the worsening food insecurity in Yemen, attributing a significant escalation in humanitarian suffering to operational restrictions imposed by the Houthi militia in areas under their control.

In its latest Food Security Update, WFP revealed that over 70% of surveyed households across Yemen are unable to access sufficient food, with severe hunger reaching record levels in governorates such as Al Jawf, Al Bayda, and Lahj. The situation is particularly dire among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and female-headed households, many of whom have resorted to extreme coping strategies to survive.

WFP officials emphasized that bureaucratic constraints, interference in aid distribution, and delays in clearance procedures—particularly in Houthi-controlled territories—have severely disrupted humanitarian operations. These restrictions have led to the suspension or downsizing of critical food assistance programs, leaving millions of Yemenis without reliable access to basic nutrition.

“Operational impediments in northern areas have not only hindered our ability to deliver aid but have also exacerbated the suffering of already vulnerable communities,” said a senior WFP representative. “Humanitarian access must be protected from politicization.”

The crisis is further compounded by economic collapse, currency depreciation, and infrastructure damage exceeding $1.3 billion, which have driven food and fuel prices to historic highs. Fuel shortages in Houthi-held regions threaten to disrupt milling operations, potentially inflating wheat flour prices despite existing price controls.

Looking ahead, WFP and its partners warn that unless restrictions are lifted and funding is urgently scaled up, parts of Yemen could enter IPC Phase 5—catastrophic food insecurity—by September. The Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) has launched a $242 million emergency response plan to assist 8.9 million people across 168 high-risk districts, contingent on donor support.

Humanitarian agencies are calling for immediate international action to ensure unimpeded access to affected populations and to prevent further deterioration of Yemen’s already fragile food security landscape.