THE war in Yemen displaced more than 15,000 people and killed at least 350 civilians last month, the UN security council heard on Wednesday.

UN special envoy Hans Grundberg told the council that both the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led Western armed coalition seem to be seeking military victory. But, he warned, “there is no sustainable long-term solution to be found on the battlefield.”

The war, which began in 2014, has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical care shortages and pushing the country to the brink of famine.

“We appear to once more be entering an escalatory cycle with predictable devastating implications for civilians and for the immediate prospects of peace,” Mr Grundberg said.

The Houthis are pressing their assault on the key city of Marib, the last government stronghold in northern Yemen, and there is renewed fighting in the south, where Yemen’s government has recaptured three districts, he said.

Elsewhere, Saudi air strikes have increased not only on the front lines but also in the capital city Sanaa, including in residential areas.