The coastal town of Dhubab in Yemen has become a launch point for desperate families fleeing the renewed clash between the Houthi movement and Saudi-backed forces. Using fishing boats and improvised dhows, they have braved the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait—the waterway that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden—only to arrive in the dusty outskirts of Obock, northern Djibouti. Within days, the refugee camp known as Markazi has swelled with more than 3,000 new arrivals, a surge that mirrors a broader displacement of over 120,000 Yemenis since the latest offensive began.
The rapid influx of Yemenis
Djiboutian authorities reported that, as of the latest count, 3,400 Yemenis have set foot on Djibouti’s shore. The increase began over a weekend when Houthi fighters seized the strategic Red Sea port of Mocha and pushed toward the Bab al-Mandab. Boats ranging from small wooden dhows to larger commercial vessels have been spotted unloading under floodlights, each carrying families clutching sacks of clothing, water containers, and, in some cases, livestock. One fisherman, Ibrahim Issa managed to bring several goats aboard his vessel, a poignant reminder that many refugees arrive with only the barest of possessions.
Numbers posted by the Djiboutian finance minister illustrate the speed of the arrival: roughly 500 people were recorded on September 11, a further 1,400 the next day, and over 2,000 by the evening of September 12. By the end of the week, the total topped 3,400. The United Nations estimates the
Life inside Markazi camp
Markazi camp, a large open-sided warehouse turned temporary shelter, is jointly administered by the Djiboutian government and the United Nations. Families spread tarpaulins over sand floors, creating makeshift living rooms while children curl up in the heat of a 37°C day. Qassim Abraham Abssy who claims to be a centenarian fisherman, describes the constant roar of aircraft as the catalyst for his flight: “The planes bomb everywhere; we do not know which side they belong to, but we cannot stay.”
Older residents, such as 63-year-old former tour guide Mohammed Abdullarim have been living in the camp since 2015, when the first wave of conflict forced them to cross the strait. He expressed profound sorrow for the new arrivals, lamenting their “worst condition” and pleading for international NGOs to amplify their voices. Meanwhile, Aisha Abdulkadir Mohammed wife of Qassim, voiced a simple yet powerful hope: “We are willing to return when peace returns to our country.”
Basic necessities are supplied by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme, yet the sudden volume strains resources. UNICEF warned that children making the crossing are exposed to extreme heat, dehydration, and a lack of safe drinking water. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted that some families are stranded on the Yemeni side because of fuel shortages, underscoring the precariousness of the journey.
Regional implications and the international response
Djibouti, a former French colony of just over 1.2 million inhabitants, finds itself at the nexus of a strategic maritime corridor. The Bab al-Mandab is estimated to carry one in eight tonnes of global seaborne trade daily, making any instability a potential threat to international shipping. The nation already hosts a dense concentration of foreign military bases, including the U.S. Camp Lemonnier, a Chinese naval facility, and installations from France, Japan, and Italy, all positioned to protect the waterway.
Djiboutian Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed visited Obock to coordinate with UNHCR, the World Food Programme, and the IOM. Officials warned that the country is preparing for as many as 10,000 additional arrivals if the current pace persists. The government’s coastguard, navy, army, and health services have been mobilized to rescue stranded migrants and provide immediate aid.
The broader geopolitical context adds another layer of tension. While Djibouti maintains a policy of neutrality in the Yemen conflict, the presence of competing great-power bases means any disruption to the Bab al-Mandab could reverberate far beyond the Horn of Africa. Analysts caution that a spill-over into maritime security could jeopardize the already fragile economies of small states that depend on safe passage through this chokepoint.
