International Organization: Malnutrition Crisis Deepens Humanitarian Situation in Yemen
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
A non-governmental organization warned on Saturday that the widespread malnutrition crisis is further worsening the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, a country already suffering from the consequences of war.
Ilaria Rasolo, Head of Mission for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in Yemen, stated in a video posted on the social media platform X that “malnutrition is a crisis within the crisis,” emphasizing that it has significantly increased the vulnerability of the population.
Rasolo noted that 2024 was an extremely difficult year, with the country witnessing an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea, as well as high levels of malnutrition in MSF facilities, in addition to outbreaks of measles and isolated cases of polio and diphtheria.
She warned that 2025 could see further disease outbreaks, describing the humanitarian situation in Yemen as “tragic.” Rasolo also highlighted that many NGOs have been forced to scale back their operations or withdraw from the country entirely due to funding cuts by major donors—including a freeze on U.S. aid.
On January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order to reassess foreign aid, resulting in a 90-day temporary halt to foreign development assistance.
It is worth noting that tensions between the Houthi group and the Trump administration escalated following the resumption of U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets on March 15, after the group announced plans to resume attacks on Israeli targets.
In the most intense strike since the air campaign resumed, the U.S. military launched a series of attacks Thursday evening targeting Ras Issa fuel port, killing at least 80 people and injuring 150 others, according to a statement from Houthi-controlled health authorities.
Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. military carried out 29 additional airstrikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen, while Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the group’s Revolutionary Committee, vowed to retaliate.
