CAIRO, GENEVA — The escalating conflict in the Middle East is placing severe pressure on fragile health systems, with rising casualties, mass displacement, and attacks on medical facilities deepening an already critical humanitarian crisis, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
In a statement, the UN health agency said more than ten days into the latest escalation, hospitals and health services across several countries in the region are struggling to cope with mounting injuries and deteriorating public health conditions.
According to national health authorities, more than 1,300 people have been killed and about 9,000 injured in Iran since the latest violence began. In Lebanon, at least 570 people have died, and more than 1,400 others have been injured.
Authorities in Israel reported 15 deaths and 2,142 injuries linked to the ongoing hostilities.
The WHO warned that health systems are being hit directly by the violence. Since February 28, the agency has verified 18 attacks on health care in Iran, resulting in the deaths of eight health workers. In Lebanon, 25 attacks on medical facilities have been recorded over the same period, leaving 16 people dead and 29 injured.
“These attacks not only cost lives but deprive communities of care when they need it most,” the WHO said, urging all parties to the conflict to protect health workers, patients, and hospitals in line with international humanitarian law.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the agency said the conflict is also triggering wider public health risks as large numbers of civilians flee affected areas.
More than 100,000 people in Iran have relocated within the country due to insecurity, while an estimated 700,000 people in Lebanon have been internally displaced, many sheltering in overcrowded facilities with limited access to clean water and sanitation.
Health experts warn that such conditions significantly increase the risk of disease outbreaks, including respiratory infections and diarrhoeal illnesses, particularly among vulnerable populations such as women and children.
Environmental hazards are also emerging as a concern. In Iran, petroleum fires and smoke from damaged infrastructure have exposed nearby communities to toxic pollutants that could cause respiratory illness, skin and eye irritation, and contamination of water and food sources.
Access to health services is also becoming increasingly restricted across several territories.
In Lebanon, 49 primary health-care centres and five hospitals have shut down following evacuation orders issued by Israel’s military, reducing the availability of essential services even as demand rises.
In the West Bank, part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, movement restrictions and checkpoint closures are delaying ambulance services and mobile clinics from reaching patients in multiple governorates.
Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, medical evacuations have been suspended since February 28, while hospitals continue to operate under severe strain amid shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel needed to run critical services.
The conflict has also disrupted humanitarian supply chains. Temporary airspace restrictions have slowed the delivery of medical supplies from WHO’s global logistics hub in Dubai, affecting more than 50 emergency supply requests intended to assist over 1.5 million people across 25 countries.
Among the delayed shipments are medical supplies destined for Al Arish in Egypt to support operations in Gaza, as well as aid deliveries planned for Lebanon and Afghanistan.
The WHO noted that the escalation comes at a time when humanitarian needs in the Eastern Mediterranean region were already among the highest globally, with about 115 million people requiring humanitarian assistance.
Health emergency appeals across the region remain around 70pc underfunded, raising concerns that aid agencies may struggle to sustain critical operations.
The WHO called on all parties involved in the conflict to protect civilians and medical services, guarantee unhindered humanitarian access, and pursue de-escalation to prevent further deterioration of health conditions across the region.
