Aid groups are warning that the war in the Middle East has upended their ability to get food and medicine to millions of people around the world in need, and that the suffering will deepen if the violence continues.

Not only has the conflict cut off vital shipping routes, creating a global energy crisis, it’s also disrupting supply chains for aid groups, forcing them to use costlier, more time-consuming routes.

Key pathways such as the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively shuttered and routes from strategic hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have also been impacted. Transport costs have spiked with higher fuel and insurance rates, meaning less supplies can be delivered with the same amount of money.

The World Food Program says it has tens of thousands of metric tons of food heavily delayed in transit. The International Rescue Committee has $130,000 worth of pharmaceuticals intended for war-torn Sudan stranded in Dubai and nearly 670 boxes of therapeutic food meant for severely malnourished children in Somalia stuck in India. The U.N. Population Fund says it’s delayed sending equipment to 16 countries.

Steep U.S. cuts to foreign aid already had hobbled many aid groups, who say the war is exacerbating the problem.

The United Nations says this is the most significant supply chain disruption since COVID, with up to a 20% cost increase on shipments and delays as goods are rerouted. And the war is creating new emergencies, such as in Iran, and also in Lebanon where at least one million people have been displaced.

See also:

• Israel's Military Is Stretched to Breaking Point and Faces a Familiar Deadly Stalemate in Lebanon • Promises of (another) decisive victory over Hezbollah don't match activity on the ground ■ The IDF misled the media regarding strikes on Iranian launchers and the gap between reports and reality increased public frustration ■ Despite the blow settlers took when they appeared on Washington's radar, implementation of their plans continues undeterred (Haaretz)
• Beirut is bursting as over 1 million people flee Israeli strikes and evacuation orders
• Iran war costs grow as key U.S. systems are knocked out