UN warns of looming humanitarian breakdown as Middle East conflict disrupts shipping

United Nations agencies have warned that humanitarian aid deliveries to conflict zones are on the verge of collapse amid the escalating war in the Middle East.

AzerNEWS reports that attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have surged, leaving around 2,000 ships and nearly 20,000 seafarers effectively stranded. The International Maritime Organization has described the situation as unprecedented since World War II.

The World Food Programme has also sounded the alarm, stating that a full-scale food crisis has already become a reality in Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia. Ongoing fighting has resulted in approximately 70,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid being blocked at ports, unable to reach vulnerable populations.

Experts warn that rising logistics costs and growing funding shortages could further weaken global food supply chains, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis.