The Middle East conflict is pushing millions of people closer to hunger, as rising ‌fuel and transport costs drive up food prices while funding shortfalls force aid agencies to scale back assistance, the U.N. World Food Programme said on Friday.

Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February triggered a regional conflict stretching across the Gulf and into Lebanon, disrupting key shipping routes, ​including the Strait of Hormuz, forcing vessels to reroute and sharply constraining global energy flows and supply chains, Reuters reported.

In March, the ​WFP forecast as many as 45 million people could fall into acute food insecurity if oil ⁠prices remained around $100 per barrel through June. That scenario is now unfolding, the agency said, with benchmark crude prices staying ​above that level since early March.

Households in Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka are among the most seriously affected and face mounting ​pressure due to higher fuel costs, food price spikes, income losses and disrupted trade.

In Somalia, 6.5 million people – roughly a third of the population – are expected to face severe hunger in 2026, while Afghanistan could see 17.4 million people affected, the WFP said. The situation is projected ​to worsen, with an additional 2.5 million Somalis and 2.3 million Afghans at risk of falling into food insecurity if ​disruptions persist. Both countries are reliant on imported energy and food.

The Middle East crisis comes amid a ‌deep ⁠funding shortfall for aid agencies. The WFP said it expected to serve 1.5 million fewer people globally in 2026, and 9 million fewer if the situation persists for six months.

In Somalia, supplies of nutritious food for children under 5 suffering from moderate malnutrition will run out as soon as July, as the WFP faces an 89% funding gap in the country.

“We ​are running out of food. ​The food is not available ⁠for distribution, and the ones who will experience the impact of this are going to be very vulnerable children,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, the director of WFP’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis ​Service.

The situation is being worsened by supply chain issues, with fewer ships stopping ​in Somalia because ⁠of disruptions which have affected shipping in the Indian Ocean, read the report.

Some WFP stocks have also been held up in Salalah Port in Oman, causing critical delays. Soaring jet fuel prices are also leading to higher operational costs for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service – the ⁠only ​means to safely access hard-to-reach areas, the WFP said.

In Afghanistan, surging fuel prices ​have driven up aid transport costs as much as fivefold, and delivery times have shot up from 10 days up to as many as 75 days ​as trucks had to use alternative corridors, the WFP said.

Afghanistan’s Center for Strategic Studies says discussions at the second Termez Dialogue primarily focused on economic cooperation between Central and South Asia through Afghanistan, particularly on strengthening regional economic connectivity.

In a post on X, the center said that around 200 representatives from more than 40 countries and 10 international and regional organizations attended the meeting, which was held on Thursday.

Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the event online. Zaker Jalaly and Ghuncha Gul Arman also attended on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Center for Strategic Studies.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and research institutions from Central Asian countries held detailed discussions on the Afghanistan–Central Asia Think Tanks Forum, which is scheduled to take place in Kabul on June 16.

Senior officials from Central and South Asia gathered in Tashkent this week for the second Termez Dialogue, where regional connectivity, trade expansion and Afghanistan’s role as a transit hub featured prominently in discussions.

Participants at the forum broadly agreed that Afghanistan remains central to efforts to strengthen economic ties between Central and South Asia, given its strategic location linking the two regions.

Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister, Bakhromjon Aloev, said a more prosperous and economically integrated Afghanistan could help promote regional stability after decades of conflict. He noted that Central Asian countries are continuing to expand trade and economic engagement with Afghanistan despite ongoing challenges.

According to officials, Uzbek and Afghan entities have signed agreements worth approximately $5 billion since late 2025, underscoring growing commercial ties between the neighboring countries.

Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, used the forum to reiterate Kabul’s commitment to expanding regional trade, improving logistics infrastructure and increasing the country’s transit capacity.

Afghan representatives also reportedly urged regional partners to advocate for the easing of international sanctions that continue to limit trade and investment opportunities.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the chairman of Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Syed Karim Hashemy, argued that existing sanctions disproportionately affect the private sector, which he said accounts for around 70 percent of the country’s economic activity.

He called for greater flexibility in banking and financial restrictions to facilitate cross-border trade and investment.

However, prospects for major international support remain uncertain. The European Union’s Special Representative for Central Asia, Eduards Stirpais, indicated that Brussels is unlikely to significantly alter its policy toward the Islamic Emirate in the near future, citing ongoing concerns over governance and human rights issues.

Despite these challenges, several participants stressed the importance of continued engagement with Afghanistan to advance regional connectivity projects, including the proposed Trans-Afghan Railway, which aims to link Central Asian markets with ports in South Asia.

Established under a 2022 United Nations resolution on strengthening connectivity between Central and South Asia, the Termez Dialogue serves as a platform for regional cooperation aimed at improving trade routes, transport networks and economic integration across the region.