Security Council to Vote on Strait of Hormuz Resolution as Middle East Conflict Grinds On
UNITED NATIONS, New York — Hostilities continued across the Middle East on Tuesday, with ongoing strikes, rising civilian casualties, and mounting pressure on critical infrastructure and humanitarian services. As the conflict enters its second month, attention is turning to New York, where the UN Security Council is expected to vote on a Bahrain-led draft resolution concerning the situation in the Strait of Hormuz—the vital maritime chokepoint through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes.
The draft resolution, which has been circulated among Council members in recent days, is expected to demand an end to attacks on commercial shipping and to reaffirm the principle of freedom of navigation in international waters. It also calls on all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Gulf states, which have been targeted repeatedly by Iranian drones and missiles over the past month.
“The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is not just a regional issue—it is a global one,” a diplomatic source familiar with the negotiations told UN News. “When shipping is disrupted, the entire world feels it. The Council must act.”
A Waterway Under Siege
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, has long been a flashpoint in Middle East tensions. But since the outbreak of the current conflict in early March, it has become a frontline. Iran has threatened to close the strait in response to US and Israeli strikes on its territory, and has carried out attacks on tankers it deems hostile or affiliated with its adversaries.
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The result has been a dramatic decline in shipping traffic. According to UN and industry data, tanker transits through the strait have fallen by more than 90 percent since early March. Insurance rates for vessels calling at Gulf ports have skyrocketed, and many shipping lines have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks to transit times and driving up costs.
“The Strait of Hormuz is being strangled,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned last week. “And when the Strait of Hormuz is strangled, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe.”
The economic consequences are already visible. Oil prices have surged past $120 a barrel, with ripple effects across food, fertilizer, and transportation costs. Developing countries, already struggling with debt and climate shocks, are facing a new wave of inflationary pressure that threatens to push millions into poverty and hunger.
The Draft Resolution: What’s at Stake?
The Bahrain-led draft resolution, which is expected to be put to a vote later this week, has several key provisions:
- Demand for an immediate cessation of all attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent international waters.
- Reaffirmation of the principle of freedom of navigation as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- Call for all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, which have been targeted by Iranian attacks.
- Request for the Secretary-General to report to the Council within 30 days on implementation of the resolution.
The resolution is expected to be strongly supported by Gulf states, the United States, and European allies. However, it is likely to face opposition or abstentions from Russia and China, which have close economic and diplomatic ties with Iran. Both countries have veto power as permanent members of the Council.
“The resolution is carefully crafted to focus on maritime security and freedom of navigation—issues that are of concern to all states, regardless of their position on the broader conflict,” the diplomatic source said. “Whether it can pass without a veto remains to be seen.”
On the Ground: Strikes Continue, Civilians Suffer
While diplomats debate in New York, the fighting on the ground shows no sign of abating. Israeli strikes continued overnight in Lebanon, targeting what the Israel Defense Forces described as Hezbollah positions in the south and the Bekaa Valley. Lebanese health authorities reported at least 15 deaths and dozens of injuries, many of them civilians.
In Gaza, airstrikes and ground operations continued, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting more than 100 new fatalities over the past 48 hours. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the enclave’s health system is “days away from complete collapse,” with fuel for generators running out and medical supplies critically low.
“We are seeing things we never thought we would see,” a UN humanitarian official said from Gaza. “Children dying of dehydration because there is no fuel to pump water. Surgeons operating by flashlight because the generators have run out of diesel. This is hell.”
Displacement also remains high. In Gaza, more than 1.5 million people are now internally displaced, many for the second or third time. In Lebanon, the number of displaced has surpassed 500,000, according to UNHCR, with many families sleeping in schools, mosques, and churches. Aid access remains severely constrained by insecurity, bureaucratic hurdles, and funding shortfalls.
Humanitarian Needs Mounting
The UN and its partners have issued emergency appeals for the region totaling more than $8 billion. So far, less than 20 percent of that amount has been funded.
“The gap between needs and resources is widening every day,” said a senior OCHA official. “We are being forced to make impossible choices: do we feed a family in Gaza or vaccinate a child in Lebanon? Do we provide shelter for a displaced family in Syria or clean water for a community in Yemen? We cannot do it all. Not with the funding we have.”
The World Food Programme has warned that it may be forced to cut rations for millions of people across the region if new funding does not arrive soon. The World Health Organization has warned of disease outbreaks in overcrowded shelters. UNICEF has warned of a lost generation of children traumatized by violence, displacement, and loss.
“The humanitarian system is stretched to its breaking point,” the OCHA official said. “We need donors to step up. Now.”
Economic Pressures Ripple Globally
Beyond the immediate humanitarian catastrophe, the conflict is having profound economic consequences that are being felt far beyond the Middle East. The disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea has sent energy and food prices soaring, with the poorest countries hit hardest.
In Sri Lanka, which is still recovering from its 2022 economic collapse, fuel prices have doubled in the past month. In Pakistan, wheat prices have risen by 40 percent. In Nigeria, imported food inflation has pushed millions closer to hunger. In the Horn of Africa, where drought has already left millions in need of food aid, rising fertilizer prices threaten to reduce the next harvest.
“This is not a regional crisis anymore,” said a UNCTAD economist. “It is a global crisis. And the poorest people in the poorest countries are paying the heaviest price.”
Diplomacy in Overdrive
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have intensified in recent days, but progress remains elusive. The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Jean Arnault, is shuttling between capitals, attempting to find common ground. The United States and Iran are engaged in indirect talks mediated by Oman and Qatar. European powers are pressing for a ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table.
But the gaps remain wide. Iran demands an end to US and Israeli strikes on its territory and the lifting of sanctions. The United States and Israel demand an end to Iranian attacks on Gulf states and a verifiable halt to Iran’s nuclear program. Neither side shows signs of backing down.
“The diplomatic track is alive, but it is fragile,” the diplomatic source said. “The next few days will be critical. The Security Council vote on the Strait of Hormuz could provide some momentum—or it could expose the deep divisions that make a solution so difficult.”
What Comes Next?
As the conflict enters its second month, the outlook remains grim. The fighting shows no sign of abating. The humanitarian situation worsens by the day. The economic consequences ripple outward. And the diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
The Security Council vote on the Strait of Hormuz resolution could be a turning point—or it could be another missed opportunity. Either way, the clock is ticking.
“Every day of delay costs lives,” the UN Secretary-General said last week. “The war must end. Not next month. Not next week. Now.”
For the millions of civilians caught in the crossfire, for the displaced families sleeping in schools, for the children who have lost everything, that message cannot come soon enough.
SOURCES / INPUTS
https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/04/1167257
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