The United Nations has raised fresh concerns over the global food crisis, warning that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could drive millions more people into severe hunger.
Speaking in Geneva, Carl Skau of the World Food Programme (WFP) said that if the war continues through June, an additional 45 million people could fall into acute food insecurity due to rising prices and economic disruption.
According to him, this would push global hunger levels to a record high, describing the situation as a “terrible” prospect. Currently, about 319 million people around the world are already facing acute hunger—an unprecedented figure.
The conflict, now in its third week, has intensified tensions across the region, with Iran launching retaliatory strikes against Israel and parts of the Gulf, while fighting has also spread to Lebanon, where Israeli forces are engaged with Hezbollah.
Skau explained that the crisis is worsening an already fragile global food system. Even before the conflict began, the WFP had been dealing with what he described as a “perfect storm” caused by climate extremes, ongoing conflicts, and emerging famine conditions in several regions.
“Hunger has never been this severe,” he said, noting that the situation is being compounded by declining funding, which has forced the agency to cut staff and scale back operations.
The ongoing war has also made humanitarian efforts more difficult and expensive. Supply chain disruptions, rising fuel costs, and the need to take longer delivery routes have significantly increased operational expenses for aid agencies.
With resources already stretched thin, the WFP warns that the world could be heading toward an even deeper humanitarian crisis if the conflict persists.
