The United Nations declared on Tuesday that six years of Yemen's conflict caused an estimated 233,000 deaths in the impoverished Arab country.

In a report, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said "the war had already caused an estimated 233,000 deaths, including 131,000 from indirect causes such as lack of food, health services, and infrastructure."

The report said "this staggering number is unfortunate and unacceptable," adding that the conflict continues to intensify during 2020, resulting in shocking levels of civilian suffering.

The UN humanitarian body called for an urgent cease-fire as the situation in the war-ravaged Arab country reached a tipping point.

Driven by escalating conflicts and a protracted economic blockade, humanitarian needs continued to grow in Yemen, where 24.3 million people will need some form of humanitarian assistance and protection in 2021, OCHA stressed.

Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa.