New York, July 31 (QNA) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called today for an end to the fighting across the Middle East and urged the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 
"The fighting must stop everywhere in the region. International navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab must be fully restored," Guterres said, warning that the military escalation that began six months ago has rapidly evolved from a regional conflict into a source of global instability. 
He said the conflict has disrupted trade through the Strait of Hormuz, driven up the prices of food and key fertilizers, and affected global energy markets and supply chains. 
"Around the world, we see families struggling to put food on the table, farmers unable to afford essential inputs, and vulnerable countries being pushed to the brink," Guterres added. 
Separately, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the deteriorating situation in the Middle East could leave about 45 million people facing acute food insecurity. The agency said rising prices and slowing economic growth threaten to push millions more into poverty, underscoring the urgent need to prevent further escalation and protect vulnerable populations. (QNA)