Wars in the Middle East generate large-scale displacement, most of which remains within the region, though secondary movements reach Europe. The Syria conflict alone has produced over 4.7 million refugees in neighboring states, with Türkiye hosting nearly 2.9 million. Gaza’s recurrent offensives since 2023 have created mass internal displacement, but exit options are extremely limited. The Sudan war, while geographically adjacent, has also fed into Mediterranean dynamics by pushing people through Libya and Tunisia.

Routes are not static. After the EU–Türkiye Statement of 2016 curtailed the Eastern Mediterranean corridor, flows shifted to the Central Mediterranean. In 2024, as enforcement tightened in North Africa, departures from Tunisia declined, but the Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands rose sharply. Lebanon’s economic collapse has created a micro-route across the short sea passage to Cyprus. These adaptations show a recurring pattern: when one corridor closes, another opens, often longer and deadlier.

In short, wars in the Middle East do not only displace people but also reshape migration geography. The system is defined by conflict, containment in host states, and shifting corridors under pressure from policy and enforcement.