Key Takeaways
President Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran over after US forces struck more than 60 IRGC boats in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran retaliated against Kuwait and Bahrain, per CoinDesk.
Brent crude jumped 6.3 percent to $78.80 a barrel, reversing a slide back to pre-war price levels, per ABC News.
The World Food Programme projected in March that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute hunger if the conflict persisted into mid-year with oil above $100, on top of 318 million already food insecure.
The ceasefire that paused the US-Iran war collapsed on Wednesday. Speaking to NATO leaders, President Donald Trump declared the truce "over" and dismissed further negotiation as a waste of time, per CoinDesk, after US Central Command said it hit more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran retaliated with attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain.
Oil moved first. Brent crude jumped 6.3 percent to $78.80 a barrel and US crude rose 6.4 percent to $75, per ABC News. Prices had only recently drifted back to where they sat before the war began in late February. That relief reversed in a single morning.
For hunger relief agencies, the numbers that matter sit in a World Food Programme analysis published in March. It projected that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity if the conflict did not end by the middle of the year and oil held above $100 a barrel, on top of the 318 million people already food insecure worldwide. The projected increases run 24 percent across Asia and 21 percent in West and Central Africa, and Sudan imports about 80 percent of its wheat.
The middle of the year has arrived and the conflict has not ended. Hormuz is the only maritime gateway to ports inside the Persian Gulf, and shipping through it already carries war-risk surcharges that raise food, fuel, and fertilizer costs far beyond the region. "Families who already cannot afford their next meal will be hit the hardest," WFP deputy executive director Carl Skau said when the analysis was released.
Oil at $78.80 is not $100, and the projection is a scenario, not a certainty. But WFP said in a June update that the warning was already becoming reality at lower prices. The US pledged more than $800 million to WFP in June, and aid groups like the IRC are pressing tech companies to help them reach displaced people. Both of those efforts just got more expensive to deliver.
People Also Ask
What happened to the US-Iran ceasefire?
President Trump declared the ceasefire over on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, after US forces struck more than 60 IRGC boats in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran attacked Kuwait and Bahrain. Talks reportedly continue despite the declaration.
How does the Iran conflict affect global hunger?
The conflict raises oil prices, which raises transport and food costs worldwide. WFP projected almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity under a sustained oil shock, with import-reliant countries in Africa and Asia hit hardest.
What did the World Food Programme warn about oil prices?
In March 2026, WFP modeled a sustained oil price above $100 a barrel and found it would price vulnerable families out of staple foods, adding almost 45 million people to the 318 million already facing acute hunger.
Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter for food aid?
Hormuz is the only maritime gateway for ports inside the Persian Gulf. When it closes or carries war-risk surcharges, shipping costs rise across multiple routes at once, which shrinks how much food aid agencies can buy and deliver.