WASHINGTON 

The UN humanitarian chief on Friday urged humanitarian cargo to be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that disruptions in the key waterway could severely affect global aid operations.

“Humanitarian supply chains are fragile. When routes close and costs surge, the help we can deliver shrinks – and the people who need it most are the ones who lose it first,” Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said in a statement.

“So my message to the parties to the conflict and all those with influence over them is simple: humanitarian cargo must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.

Fletcher warned that the consequences of the US-Israeli war with Iran extend beyond the Middle East, affecting markets, shipping routes and food prices worldwide.

“The impact on our lifesaving humanitarian work will be immense. Millions of people are at risk,” he said.

Fuel prices have soared, driving up global shipping costs, while flight and maritime disruptions have slowed the movement of humanitarian personnel and goods, putting critical supplies at risk of “six-month delays,” he said.

Since Israel and the US launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, 1,300 people have been killed, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hostilities have only escalated.

⁠Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

Tehran has effectively closed the critical Strait of Hormuz since around March 1.