AID groups are warning that the war in the Middle East is obstructing badly needed supplies of food and medicine for millions of people around the world and that the suffering will increase if the violence continues.

Not only has the conflict cut off vital shipping lanes, creating a global energy crisis, it’s also disrupting supply chains for aid groups, forcing them to use costlier, more time-consuming routes.

Key waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively blocked and routes from strategic hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have also been impacted. Transport costs have surged due to higher fuel and insurance rates, meaning fewer supplies can be delivered with the same amount of money.

The World Food Programme says it has tens of thousands of metric tons of food seriously delayed in transit.

The International Rescue Committee has $130,000 (£98,000) worth of pharmaceuticals intended for war-torn Sudan stranded in Dubai and nearly 670 boxes of therapeutic food meant for severely malnourished children in Somalia stuck in India.

The United Nations Population Fund says it’s delayed sending equipment to 16 countries.

The UN says this is the most significant supply chain disruption since the Covid-19 pandemic, with up to a 20 per cent shipping costs increase and delays as goods are rerouted. And the war is creating new emergencies in Iran and Lebanon — at least one million people have been displaced by Israeli military action in the latter country.

“The war on Iran and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz risk pushing humanitarian operations beyond their limits,” said Madiha Raza, associate director for public affairs and communications for Africa for the International Rescue Committee.

Even when the fighting stops, the shock to global supply chains could continue to delay lifesaving aid for months, she said.