---

title: "Global Conflicts Monitor — March 2026"

date: "2026-03-20"

author: "alberto"

category: "worldnews"

tags: [russia-ukraine, us-iran, thai-cambodia, israel-palestine, sudan, myanmar, geopolitics, conflicts]

group: "worldnews"

group_id: 48

lang: "en"

brief: "Comprehensive situation report on all active wars and military conflicts worldwide as of March 20, 2026 — covering the US-Israel war on Iran, Russia-Ukraine stalemate, Thailand-Cambodia border crisis, Gaza ceasefire collapse, Sudan civil war, Myanmar resistance, and more."

sources: [Reuters, BBC, AP News, Al Jazeera, CNN, Crisis Group, CFR]

type: "deep-dive"

version: 1

---

🌍 **Global Conflicts Monitor** — March 20, 2026

*Comprehensive situation report on active wars and military conflicts worldwide.*

---

### 🇺🇸🇮🇷 United States & Israel — Iran (Day 21)

The largest active military operation in the world right now. On February 28, US and Israeli forces launched nearly 900 strikes in 12 hours targeting Iranian missiles, air defenses, and leadership — killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of officials.

- **Status**: Active combat, Day 21. Iran has fired 500+ ballistic missiles and 2,000+ drones since Feb 28

- **Casualties**: 2,300+ killed across the region

- **Scope**: Conflict spans 12+ countries; Strait of Hormuz closed

- **Economic impact**: Brent crude above $110/barrel; Goldman Sachs warns $100+ oil through 2027

- **Latest**: Netanyahu halted strikes on Iranian energy sites after Trump reacted angrily to an attack on infrastructure linked to the world’s largest natural gas field

- **Iran warning**: Tehran vows "zero restraint" if energy facilities targeted again

---

### 🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russia — Ukraine (Year 4)

The war grinds into its fourth year with no ceasefire in sight. US-brokered peace talks were put on hold as the Iran war diverted global attention.

- **Status**: Active combat, grinding attrition on multiple fronts

- **Frontline**: Russia claims Ukraine now holds only 15-17% of Donetsk (down from 35% six months ago)

- **Diplomacy**: UN General Assembly adopted resolution demanding immediate ceasefire; US peace talks paused due to Iran crisis

- **UK/France plan**: Military "security hubs" proposed for post-war Ukraine

- **Outlook**: Analysts say war unlikely to end in 2026 — Russia unwilling to make substantial concessions

---

### 🇹🇭🇰🇭 Thailand — Cambodia (Border War)

A long-simmering territorial dispute that escalated into sustained armed conflict in mid-2025, with 100+ deaths and 500,000+ displaced.

- **Status**: Fragile ceasefire, frequent violations

- **Latest**: Feb 2026 exchange of fire — Thailand accused Cambodia of truce violation; Cambodia denied using weapons

- **Occupation**: Cambodian PM Hun Manet says Thai forces occupy "deep" Cambodian territory despite ceasefire

- **Root cause**: Ambiguous 1904/1907 colonial-era boundary maps between Siam and French Indochina

- **China role**: Beijing mediating between both sides

---

### 🇮🇱🇵🇸 Israel — Palestine (Gaza)

The October 2025 ceasefire has effectively collapsed. Israel controls over half of Gaza.

- **Status**: Ceasefire collapsed March 18 — Israel launched surprise attack killing 400+

- **Military**: IDF continues air strikes, shelling, and gunfire across the Strip despite ceasefire framework

- **Phase 2**: US announced second phase of ceasefire plan, but implementation stalled

- **Humanitarian**: Ongoing disputes over aid access, demilitarization, and governance

- **Complication**: Iran war has diverted global diplomatic attention from Gaza

---

### 🇸🇩 Sudan Civil War (RSF vs SAF)

The world’s worst displacement crisis — over 10 million people displaced since April 2023.

- **Status**: Active combat on multiple fronts

- **Latest**: RSF captured Bara (March 16), 40 miles north of SAF headquarters at el-Obeid, after SAF had briefly held it

- **Government**: SAF-aligned government announced full return to Khartoum from temporary capital Port Sudan

- **Regional spillover**: Chad closed its eastern border indefinitely (Feb 23) citing armed group incursions

- **External backing**: UAE suspected of shipping weapons to RSF via Chad and Ethiopia

- **Humanitarian ceasefire**: US-proposed ceasefire stalled as both sides prepare major offensives

---

### 🇲🇲 Myanmar Civil War (Year 5 Post-Coup)

The junta controls only 21% of national territory. Resistance forces hold 42%.

- **Status**: Active combat nationwide, junta losing ground

- **Earthquake**: 7.7 magnitude quake struck March 28 (last week area still in crisis), impacting 17 million people

- **Elections**: Junta held sham elections (Dec-Jan) to legitimize military proxy party — 93% of population supports NUG resistance

- **Air war**: Military air and drone strikes reached record highs in 2025, backed by China and Russia

- **International**: China increasing involvement to preserve junta stability

---

### 🌍 Other Active Conflicts

**🇾🇪 Yemen (Houthis)** — Full war zone. Houthis control northern Yemen, continue drone and missile strikes on Israel and Red Sea shipping. Growing coordination with AQAP and al-Shabaab threatens wider regional instability.

**🇨🇩 DRC (Congo)** — M23 rebellion and 100+ armed groups fighting in eastern provinces. Rwanda-backed militias fuel competition over critical minerals. One of Africa’s deadliest conflicts.

**🇪🇹 Ethiopia** — Fresh fighting between federal forces and Tigray fighters along northern borders. Ethnic militias in Amhara and Oromia continue clashes. Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions risk tipping the Horn of Africa into wider war.

**🇲🇽 Mexico** — Drug war continues as one of the world’s deadliest conflicts, with cartel violence causing thousands of deaths annually.

**Sahel Region** — Islamist insurgencies across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger intensify following withdrawal of French and UN peacekeeping forces.

---

### 📊 Conflict Summary Table

| Conflict | Status | Intensity | Trend |

|---|---|---|---|

| US-Israel vs Iran | Active combat (Day 21) | 🔴 Extreme | ↑ Escalating |

| Russia — Ukraine | Active combat (Year 4) | 🔴 High | → Stalemate |

| Thailand — Cambodia | Fragile ceasefire | 🟡 Medium | → Tense |

| Israel — Palestine | Ceasefire collapsed | 🔴 High | ↑ Escalating |

| Sudan (RSF vs SAF) | Active combat | 🔴 Extreme | ↑ Escalating |

| Myanmar | Active combat | 🔴 High | ↓ Junta losing |

| Yemen (Houthis) | Active combat | 🔴 High | ↑ Escalating |

| DRC Congo | Active combat | 🟡 High | → Ongoing |

| Ethiopia | Sporadic clashes | 🟡 Medium | ↑ Risk rising |

| Sahel (Mali/Burkina/Niger) | Insurgency | 🟡 Medium | ↑ Worsening |

---

📸 Photo by Road Ahead on Unsplash

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