Tens of millions more in acute hunger if Mideast war drags on, UN warns

AFP / France 24
by FRANCE24
March 18, 2026
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3 min read

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UN warns 45 million more people could face acute hunger if Mideast war continues through June.

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The United Nations warned Tuesday that an additional 45 million people could face acute hunger if the Middle East conflict continues through June, pushing global hunger to unprecedented levels. The war, now in its third week, has already killed hundreds and triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf nations, while a new front has opened in Lebanon with Israel fighting Hezbollah. A prolonged conflict threatens to severely disrupt food supplies and access across an already fragile region, compounding an existing global hunger crisis. The UN's projection underscores how regional military escalation can rapidly translate into humanitarian catastrophe affecting vulnerable populations far beyond active combat zones.

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