A growing number of vulnerable children are now caught in a widening humanitarian crisis as escalating tensions in the Middle East continue to choke the delivery of life saving aid, with nearly half a million children affected across multiple countries, according to Save the Children.
The organisation said the ongoing conflict has blocked critical air, sea, and land routes, delaying essential supplies and increasing shipping costs by as much as 50 percent.
It identified the disruption of major global shipping lanes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, as a key factor in the crisis.
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Since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, attacks and heightened tensions have significantly impacted maritime movement through the region.
The Strait of Hormuz, which handles a substantial share of global trade, has become increasingly difficult to navigate for humanitarian shipments.
Save the Children reported that aid meant for at least 410,000 children and their families in Sudan, Afghanistan, and Yemen has either been delayed or remains stranded.
The organisation warned that the disruption is already affecting access to critical healthcare and nutrition services in these regions.
A shipment of medical supplies destined for Sudan is currently stuck in Dubai due to restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz.
The delay is placing more than 90 primary healthcare facilities at risk of running out of essential medicines, including antibiotics, antimalarials, deworming treatments, and drugs for pain and fever.
In Afghanistan, nutrition supplies intended for 5,000 children and 1,400 pregnant or breastfeeding women have also been affected.
The shipment, which was originally planned to pass through Iran, may now require an airlift costing more than $240,000, exceeding the total value of the supplies.
Medicines meant for about 5,000 children in Yemen remain stranded in Dubai, with alternative plans to move them by road expected to double logistics costs.
Save the Children warned that the escalating conflict is having “grave ripple effects” far beyond the region and called on all parties to allow safe passage for humanitarian aid.
The organisation stressed that urgent measures are needed to ensure food, medicine, and essential supplies can move freely, warning that further escalation could worsen already critical humanitarian crises around the world.
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