Aid agencies warn of funding crisis as war displaces millions

Washington — International aid agencies appealed for urgent funding on Wednesday as the Middle East conflict drives mass displacement and strains already reduced humanitarian resources, with millions uprooted in Iran and Lebanon since fighting began on Feb. 28.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said an estimated 3.2 million people have been displaced in Iran and 1 million in Lebanon, highlighting the scale of the crisis as needs continue to rise.

UNHCR said it requires an additional $61 million in Lebanon alone to support around 600,000 displaced people over the next three months. The agency, which cut 30% of its workforce last year due to funding shortages, warned that declining global humanitarian financing is undermining its ability to respond effectively.

“The drop in global humanitarian funding is having a major impact at the very moment as needs are rising sharply,” the agency said, adding that reduced staffing and resources are limiting operations as displacement accelerates.

The World Food Programme warned that nearly 45 million more people worldwide could face acute hunger if the conflict continues into mid-year and oil prices remain above $100 per barrel.

Carl Skau, the agency’s chief operating officer, said the war’s economic ripple effects would disproportionately hit vulnerable populations already struggling to meet basic food needs. “Without an adequately funded humanitarian response, it could spell catastrophe for millions already on the edge,” he said.

Aid groups also pointed to the financial cost of the conflict, noting that the United States spent $11.3 billion in the first week alone, as a contrast to the funding shortfalls facing humanitarian operations.

They warned that without immediate donor support, the combination of displacement, rising food insecurity and economic disruption could deepen the global humanitarian crisis in the months ahead.