Yemen’s critically ill are trapped as war closes the country’s airports
Summary
Many critically ill people in Yemen cannot get needed medical care abroad because airports in the country are closed or damaged due to ongoing conflict. This blocks flights for patients needing treatment outside Yemen, worsening health problems for thousands.Key Facts
- Sanaa International Airport, the main airport in Houthi-controlled northern Yemen, has been mostly closed to commercial flights since 2016 because of a Saudi-led coalition blockade.
- A short-lived UN truce in 2022 allowed some flights, but damage from attacks in 2025 and July 2026 kept the airport closed.
- Aden airport, used by the government-controlled south, has also been attacked multiple times recently.
- About 400,000 patients, including 250,000 needing treatment abroad and over 125,000 cancer patients, have been affected by the airport closures.
- Medical supplies shortages include more than 1,600 types of medicine, such as 12 cancer drugs and treatments for blood diseases like thalassemia and anemia.
- The conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthis has increased recently, limiting the movement of aid and people.
- Some war prisoners have been released by the Houthis as part of ongoing negotiations.
- The lack of medical flights forces patients to take long, unsafe, and expensive overland trips to find alternate airports outside the conflict zones.
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