GENEVA – The humanitarian situation across the Middle East is rapidly evolving due to ongoing security developments, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is operational and ready to scale its response as needs grow. Emergency preparedness measures have been activated across the region, allowing WFP country offices in Iran, Türkiye, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Palestine, and Armenia to respond quickly if displacement increases.
In Lebanon, WFP has already activated contingency plans to support people displaced by recent violence. Population movements are fluid, with tens of thousands leaving South Lebanon, the Bekaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs for shelters and host communities. WFP is providing hot meals, ready-to-eat rations, and bread, while coordinating with the Ministry of Social Affairs and humanitarian partners to establish an emergency cash safety net capable of reaching up to 100,000 people if the crisis worsens. Assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon continues despite the challenges.
In Gaza, the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing is critical to deliver aid, as current supplies are limited to only a few weeks for general food assistance. WFP is working to ensure a continuous and scalable flow of food, including wheat flour and food parcels, and is expanding cash assistance where possible. Without steady supply access, rations may need to be reduced to support the 1.3 million people relying on WFP programs.
Humanitarian logistics across the Middle East are under increasing strain. Security risks are disrupting maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, and complicating shipping, raising transport costs, and delaying deliveries. Airspace closures across the Gulf are affecting crew changes, emergency deployments, and rotations. WFP is adapting by using alternative supply corridors through Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, and Pakistan, as well as overland routes between the UAE and the Levant, while relying on Egypt’s ports and the Suez Canal as critical hubs.
WFP emphasizes that sustained funding is essential to maintain its emergency response. At least USD 200 million is estimated to be needed for an initial three-month response if the crisis escalates further. The organization continues to provide life-saving assistance while advocating for uninterrupted access and scalable operations to meet the growing needs of displaced and vulnerable populations across the region.
The United Nations World Food Programme remains the world’s largest humanitarian organization, using food assistance to save lives, stabilize communities, and support recovery from conflict, disasters, and climate change impacts.
