A fuel shortage in Yemen is creating challenges for people trying to flee the country’s ongoing conflict and seek safety across the Red Sea in Djibouti. More than 2,000 Yemenis are currently in Djibouti, where the government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are providing food and shelter. The conflict in Yemen, which has been ongoing for 12 years, involves Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Saudi Arabia on one side, and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on the other. A recent escalation has ended a ceasefire that had largely stopped the civil war since 2022. The Houthis, who had previously avoided direct involvement in the broader Iran-Saudi conflict, resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia in July and declared a blockade against the oil giant. IOM Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Frantz Celestin, told The Associated Press that the fuel shortage in Yemen has slowed the movement of people fleeing the conflict. However, he warned that more people are expected to attempt the dangerous crossing to Djibouti. “We expect more to come. What we were told is that there are a lot of people who are willing and ready to come. They simply don’t have fuel to make the journey,” Celestin said. The increasing number of arrivals is raising concerns that Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa, may struggle to manage the influx. “When you have that many people come in a short amount of time, it’s bound to overwhelm the system,” Celestin added, though he noted that Djibouti has been handling the situation well so far. Djiboutian Finance Minister Ilyas M. Dawaleh described the situation as “becoming increasingly difficult for our country, despite our unwavering commitment to humanitarian assistance.” He praised the solidarity of Djiboutian citizens, particularly those in Obock, a northern coastal town on the front lines of the humanitarian response. Celestin emphasized that the growing number of arrivals is putting added pressure on local communities and called for more international support, including additional tents and medical services. Djibouti is one of the closest places of refuge for Yemenis fleeing the conflict, located just across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. On Monday, the Houthi-run Yemen Petroleum Company attributed the recent rise in local fuel prices to global oil price increases, higher import costs, and what it described as a Saudi blockade imposed when the civil war in Yemen began 12 years ago. The company also pointed to the ongoing US-Iran war and international sanctions as contributing factors.