'The frontline is everywhere': 10 surprising conflict hotspots for 2026

Today, Britain’s MI6 chief delivered a chilling message: the
frontline is now everywhere.


Look around the world and the evidence is overwhelming. From
Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan, violence is spreading fast and growing
more lethal by the month. New data from ACLED shows that Europe
is now the most intense conflict zone on the planet - a fact that
should shock anyone in the West still clinging to the idea that
war happens elsewhere. Plus, with drone strikes now accounting
for more than a quarter of all attacks worldwide, war is only a
short flight away. 


This is not a bad patch, this is a dangerous new era. And next
year will be even bloodier still. The warning signs are screaming
at us. 


The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data
organisation, known as ACLED, has been tracking all of this
data and more. Venetia speaks to their CEO Clionadh Raleigh to
find out more.


Read ACLED's
report: https://acleddata.com/conflict-index-2026-watchlist


Producer: Peter Shevlin


Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look
forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest
stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor


Contact us with feedback or ideas:


battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


@venetiarainey


@RolandOliphant


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.