Newborn twins face severe malnutrition amid intensifying Yemen conflict, BBC reports

What happened

BBC Middle East Yemen reports on Raghad Hassan and her twin brother Raad, born prematurely seven weeks ago, who are fighting for survival with severe acute malnutrition after their family fled conflict in the Kahboub mountains caused by fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces. The family undertook a three-day journey on foot to the port city of Aden amid ongoing bombings, missile strikes, and drone attacks.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Their father, Bajash Ali Sagir Hassan, described the difficulty in finding transport during their escape, while their mother Lina detailed the worsening condition of the twins due to exhaustion, cold, dust, and dehydration symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Upon arrival at al-Sadaqah hospital in Aden, doctors described the infants as extremely emaciated, with Raad notably weaker and struggling to feed on fortified milk amid rising baby milk prices caused by the war.

The BBC report situates the twins' condition within the broader humanitarian crisis: over 250,000 people displaced in the past three months and around 800,000 cut off from lifesaving aid following the collapse of an informal ceasefire. The report notes a recent Houthi advance along the Red Sea coast that has fully encircled Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, putting civilians at grave risk of starvation due to soaring food prices.

Known from the source

• Raghad Hassan and Raad are premature twins born around seven weeks ago and suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
• Their family fled fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces in the Kahboub mountains, traveling three days on foot to Aden.
• The twins were admitted to al-Sadaqah hospital in Aden where only 13 patients are admitted at a time due to resource constraints.
• The conflict escalation has displaced over 250,000 people in three months and denies lifesaving aid to around 800,000, according to UN figures mentioned by the BBC.
• Houthis have advanced along the Red Sea coast and have cut off Taiz city, impacting civilians' access to food.

What remains unclear

Al-Sadaqah hospital revealed severe resource constraints, admitting only 13 patients at a time despite having 22 beds, due to limited funding, staff shortages, and inadequate medical equipment including oxygen supplies and labs. Dr Noor Mohammed, a physician at the malnutrition unit, acknowledged repeated loss of patients under these conditions and noted many children need to return for recurrent treatment shortly after discharge.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verify casualty figures and displacement numbers from UN or independent humanitarian sources. Confirm the current status of Houthi control in Red Sea coastal areas and Taiz city. Check the availability and conditions of al-Sadaqah hospital and other medical facilities in Aden.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: BBC Middle East Yemen. Open the source.