Middle East War Disrupts Global Humanitarian Aid, Threatens 45M with Hunger

UN warns of severe supply chain issues and skyrocketing costs that could push millions more into acute hunger worldwide.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 1:29am

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The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has severely disrupted global humanitarian operations, with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warning that the situation could leave 45 million more people facing acute hunger if the crisis continues through June. Shipping costs are up 18% so far, and the disruption of fertilizer supplies from the Strait of Hormuz is raising concerns about the upcoming planting season in sub-Saharan Africa. The humanitarian impact is being felt acutely in Lebanon, where over 1 million people have been displaced and the air bridge of aid from Gulf states has been severed.

Why it matters

The Middle East conflict is exacerbating an already dire global food security situation, with the potential to push millions more people into acute hunger at a time when the world is still recovering from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war. This threatens to reverse hard-won progress in reducing hunger and malnutrition, with devastating consequences particularly for the most vulnerable populations.

The details

The WFP says its shipping costs are up 18% so far due to the conflict, with thousands of trucks running on more expensive fuel. This has forced the agency to cut food rations for people in famine conditions in Sudan and only support one in four acutely malnourished children in Afghanistan. The disruption of global fertilizer markets, with a quarter of the world's supply coming through the Strait of Hormuz, also raises concerns about the upcoming planting season in sub-Saharan Africa. In Lebanon, the humanitarian air bridge from Gulf states has been severed, and over 1 million people have been displaced by Israeli airstrikes and displacement orders covering large parts of the country.

  • The Middle East conflict has been ongoing for three weeks as of March 18, 2026.
  • If the conflict continues through June 2026, an additional 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger.

The players

Carl Skau

Deputy Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme.

Imran Riza

The UN's top aid official in Lebanon.

Thameen Al-Kheetan

Spokesperson for the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

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What they’re saying

“Beyond the immediate fallout in Lebanon, the conflict has also caused major knock-on effects on global humanitarian operations; we are really feeling the pain on this. Our supply chains may really be on the brink of the most severe disruption since COVID and the Ukraine war back in 2022.”

— Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director, UN World Food Programme (Mirage News)

“If the Middle East conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger by price rises. This would take global hunger levels to an all-time record and it's a terrible, terrible prospect.”

— Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director, UN World Food Programme (Mirage News)

“In 2024 [during the previous Israel-Lebanon conflict] we were receiving an incredible amount of assistance from the Gulf states, from the Saudis, from Qatar, from the UAE, from Oman, from Bahrain…We were getting a lot from Kuwait, and none of that is happening. The air bridge is no longer there.”

— Imran Riza, UN's top aid official in Lebanon (Mirage News)

What’s next

The UN is urgently appealing for increased humanitarian funding and access to continue its lifesaving work in the region, as the conflict shows no signs of abating.

The takeaway

This crisis underscores the fragility of global food and humanitarian supply chains, and the devastating ripple effects that regional conflicts can have on the world's most vulnerable populations. It serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater international cooperation and investment in building resilient and equitable food systems.