Yemen may be facing " the largest famine the country has seen for many decades " after a Saudi - backed military coalition closed all access routes into the country , according to United States Aid Chief Mark Miller . Around seven million are on the verge of starvation in the war - torn country , while nearly 900,000 are estimated to be infected with cholera . The move, which follows the interception of a missile fired toward the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday, is likely to worsen a humanitarian crisis in Yemen that according to the United Nations has pushed some seven million people to the brink of famine and left nearly 900,000 infected with cholera. “ What we need is a winding down of the blockade , so that we can save the lives of those people ” , said Lowcock .
Yemen may be facing " the largest famine the country has seen for many decades " after a Saudi - backed military coalition closed all access routes into the country , according to United States Aid Chief Mark Miller . Around seven million are on the verge of starvation in the war - torn country , while nearly 900,000 are estimated to be infected with cholera . “ What we need is a winding down of the blockade , so that we can save the lives of those people ” , said Lowcock .