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The Middle Eastern country of Yemen is close to entering its fourth year of civil war, which has become a proxy conflict for Iran and Saudi Arabia. The United States has supported Saudi Arabia with weapons sales and logistics. The Saudi coalition fighting in the country has caused an estimated 15,000 civilian deaths from aerial bombing, and its blockade of the country has pushed some 20 million people to the brink of famine. 85,000 children are already estimated to have died from hunger. The UN has warned that the worst famine in a century could break out.
Congress is currently considering a joint resolution (H.J. Res. 37 in the House, S.J. Res. 7 in the Senate) directing the White House to withdraw support for Saudi Arabia in the Yemen conflict. Call your representative and your senators and urge them to support this resolution.
Despite extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances, a number of charities are still operating in Yemen, providing aid to civilians in need. Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, and International Rescue Committee, in particular, are providing desperately needed medical services in the country. Find a reputable charity operating in the country and give a donation to support their ongoing projects.
Helping Yemeni refugees can start close to home. Yemen is one of the countries hit by the Trump travel ban, and over 1,200 refugees from Yemen in the United States have had their Temporary Protected Status renewed—but only until 2020. Find an organization near you that is dedicated to supporting refugees in the United States, and contact them to see if they need volunteers or donations.
Nicolas Niarchos at the New Yorker provides background on the history of the conflict in Yemen, and how the role that the United States has played has worsened the humanitarian situation there:
In May [2015], Andrew Exum was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy. “When I arrived, I sensed a lot of frustration,” he told me. The Administration was unsure about whether it wanted to be involved in the war. “Are we supposed to help the Saudis win or not? I don’t think we ever made our mind up there.”
