The United Nations announced on Thursday that it has distributed emergency food aid to over 115,000 people in areas under the control of the internationally recognized government in the Yemeni governorates of Hodeidah and Taiz.

The World Food Programme (WFP), in a statement posted on X, monitored by "Barran Press", said the aid prioritized children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. The statement highlighted that the ongoing conflict and displacement have driven malnutrition to alarming levels in these areas.

The announcement comes after four UN agencies, including the WFP, declared last Sunday that acute malnutrition rates in government-controlled areas of Yemen have risen by 34% in 2024 compared to the previous year. The joint statement specifically identified Hodeidah and Taiz as governorates facing particularly high malnutrition rates.

Yemen has been experiencing a relative lull in the war that began nearly a decade ago between the internationally recognized government and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, designated as a terrorist group by many countries. The Houthis seized control of several governorates and cities, including Sana'a, in September 2014.

The UN's food distribution efforts are a crucial lifeline for communities struggling with the humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the ongoing conflict. The WFP and other humanitarian organizations continue to work to address the dire needs of the Yemeni population, particularly those most vulnerable to malnutrition and food insecurity.