Yemen's war and repeated airport closures leave thousands of sick people unable to reach overseas treatment, with many dying while waiting or travelling.
01Summary
- 01Rajaa Ghirsan, 50, needs a complex operation abroad but cannot fly from Sanaa or afford the land journey to Aden.
- 02A UN-brokered truce allowed limited flights from Sanaa in 2022, but Israeli attacks in 2025 and a Saudi-backed strike in July 2026 have halted them.
- 03Houthi health ministry spokesman Anis al-Asbahi said airport closures have affected about 400,000 patients, including 250,000 who need treatment abroad.
- 04Mohammed Abdulkarim sold his car and his sister-in-law's gold to fund a trip to Aden for his brother, who died on the road before reaching the airport.
- 05Aden airport was hit twice in October 2026, and patients also face dangerous overland routes through mountain terrain and conflict zones.
02Why it matters
This story matters because ongoing war and airport closures are a death sentence for thousands of Yemenis needing urgent medical care abroad, and the collapse of routes forces families into impossible choices.
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