The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is worsening sharply, with the proportion of people unable to meet basic food needs rising from about half to nearly 60% within a month, a senior UN official has warned.

Axar.az reports, citing the United Nations, that UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher told the UN Security Council that more than 18 million people — over half of Yemen’s population — are now experiencing acute hunger.

He said the number of Yemenis facing the most severe levels of deprivation has risen from one in four to nearly one in three. In government-controlled areas, around 5 million people are facing severe hunger, while more than a quarter are experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity. Although updated data from Houthi-controlled areas is unavailable, Fletcher stressed that this does not indicate a lack of humanitarian need.

Fletcher also warned of a critical funding gap, noting that the UN humanitarian appeal for Yemen has received less than 15% of required financing.

He urged increased international support for peace efforts and called for the release of detained UN personnel, saying 73 UN staff members and others remain arbitrarily detained by Houthi authorities.

Yemen’s crisis has been driven by years of conflict that began in 2014 and escalated into civil war in 2015, severely damaging infrastructure, disrupting food imports, and collapsing public services in a country heavily dependent on imported food.