Global Conflicts Reach Historic Levels in 2025: A World Facing One Battle After Another

The Unprecedented Scale of Global Conflicts

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025, state-based armed conflict ranks as the world’s biggest current risk. The number of active conflicts has doubled over the past five years, with one in eight people now affected by conflict. 2024 alone saw a 25% increase in violent incidents from 2023.

Conservative estimates report over 233,000 deaths in the past year, primarily due to three major conflicts: Ukraine, Gaza, and Myanmar.

Major Ongoing Conflicts

The Russia-Ukraine War, the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, continues into 2025. Western sources estimate approximately 350,000 direct casualties since 2022, including 250,000 Russian combatant deaths and 100,000 Ukrainian combatant deaths, along with thousands of civilian casualties.

In Gaza, the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 55,000 Palestinian and 1,700 Israeli deaths in 20 months. The situation has created one of the largest humanitarian disasters in one of the world’s most densely populated areas, with over 90% of the population displaced and all residents facing food insecurity.

Emerging Patterns and Future Outlook

Modern warfare has become increasingly sophisticated and widespread. Bombings now account for over 90,000 events in 2024, nearly double the rate of battles and triple the rate of direct violence against civilians. Since 2022, bombing and ‘remote violence’ have grown by over 25% annually.

Looking ahead, conflict event rates are expected to grow by 15% in 2025 due to increased bombings and battles, potentially resulting in approximately 20,000 reported fatalities per month. Throughout 2025, violence levels are projected to remain very high relative to recent historical norms, with an anticipated annual increase of 20%.

Humanitarian Impact

For businesses, governments, humanitarian organisations, and NGOs operating in high-risk environments, these conflicts present unprecedented challenges. As noted by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, “Our world is going through a period of turbulence and unpredictability, reflected in growing conflict and divided societies.”