Iran war disrupts global food supplies, threatening 45 million with acute hunger

The ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, blocking critical supplies of food, oil, and fertilizer that flow through one of the world's most vital trade routes. The closure has stranded 70,000 metric tons of food on cargo ships and forced aid organizations to reroute supplies through lengthy overland corridors, driving up costs and delaying delivery to vulnerable regions. Food price inflation has surged globally, with Iran experiencing a 40 percent increase in the past year and rice prices rising sevenfold, while the World Food Program estimates that acute food insecurity will rise by 24 percent in Asia, 21 percent in West and Central Africa, and 17 percent in East and Southern Africa if the conflict persists.

The crisis threatens to become catastrophic if the war extends into June, with the potential to push 45 million people into acute hunger. Persian Gulf countries, which import 77 to 95 percent of their staple grains and oils, face immediate shortages, while disruptions to fertilizer supplies—one-third of which normally transit the strait—will reduce crop yields globally in the coming months. Countries already facing famine, including Sudan and Somalia, are particularly exposed to these cascading shocks, and humanitarian organizations warn that even if the conflict ends soon, elevated food prices will persist for months.