Sanaa: At least 125,000 people have been displaced by the ongoing fighting between government forces and Houthis in Yemen since the beginning of September, the United Nations said. 'Hostilities in Yemen are forcing people to flee their homes, causing civilian casualties and putting already overstretched humanitarian operations under increasing pressure,' the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated in a report released late Monday.

According to Anadolu Agency, at least 18,000 families, or around 125,000 individuals, have been uprooted from their homes in Yemen since the start of September. The statement, referencing the UN Human Rights Office, reported that 40 civilians have lost their lives in the recent escalation, including eight fatalities and 32 injuries recorded between September 1 and 14.

Women and children represent half of those killed and more than half of those injured, as per OCHA. The office urged all parties involved in the conflict to prioritize the safety of civilians, adhere to international humanitarian laws, and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to communities in need.

In a recent development, the Houthis have expanded their control over Yemen's Red Sea coastline, including Mayyun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, amidst intensifying clashes with government forces. Yemen has been embroiled in war since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, leading to the intervention of a Saudi-led Arab coalition in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.