WHO warns of worsening health crisis in Middle East conflict

More than ten days into the latest escalation of conflict in the Middle East, health systems across the region are experiencing increasing strain due to rising injuries and displacement, ongoing attacks on healthcare facilities, and escalating public health risks.

National health authorities in Iran report over 1,300 deaths and 9,000 injuries, while in Lebanon, at least 570 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries have been reported. In Israel, authorities confirm 15 deaths and 2,142 injuries.

At the same time, the conflict is impacting critical services intended to save lives. In Iran, the World Health Organization has confirmed 18 attacks on healthcare since February 28, leading to 8 deaths among healthcare workers. During the same timeframe in Lebanon, there have been 25 attacks on healthcare, resulting in 16 deaths and 29 injuries. These assaults not only claim lives but also rob communities of essential care when it is most needed. Health workers, patients, and health facilities must consistently be safeguarded under international humanitarian law.

Beyond the immediate impact, the conflict is generating broader public health risks. Current estimates suggest that over 100,000 individuals in Iran have moved to other regions of the country due to insecurity, while up to 700,000 people have been internally displaced in Lebanon. Many of them are residing in overcrowded communal shelters with worsening public health conditions and limited access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. These circumstances heighten the risk of respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, and other communicable illnesses, particularly affecting the most vulnerable populations, including women and children.

Environmental hazards are also rising concerns. In Iran, petroleum fires and smoke from damaged infrastructure have exposed nearby communities to toxic pollutants that may lead to respiratory issues, eye and skin irritation, as well as contamination of water and food sources.

Access to health services is becoming increasingly constrained across several countries. In Lebanon, 49 primary health care centers and five hospitals have shut down following evacuation orders issued by Israel's military, which has diminished the availability of essential services as medical needs escalate.

In the occupied Palestinian territory, increased movement restrictions and checkpoint closures are delaying access for ambulances and mobile clinics across several governorates in the West Bank. In Gaza, medical evacuations have been suspended since February 28, while hospitals continue to operate under strain due to ongoing shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel, which is being rationed to prioritize essential health services such as emergency and trauma care, maternal and neonatal services, and the management of communicable diseases.

Temporary airspace restrictions have disrupted the movement of medical supplies from WHO's global logistics hub in Dubai. More than 50 emergency supply requests, aimed at benefiting over 1.5 million people across 25 countries, are affected, leading to significant backlogs. Current priority shipments include supplies intended for Al Arish, Egypt, to support the response to the situation in Gaza, as well as those for Lebanon and Afghanistan. The first shipment, containing cholera response supplies for Mozambique, is expected to depart from the hub in the coming week.

The escalation comes at a time when humanitarian needs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are already among the highest in the world. Across the Region, 115 million people require humanitarian assistance – nearly half of all people in need globally – while humanitarian health emergency appeals remain 70% underfunded.

Without adequate health care protections, consistent humanitarian access, and enhanced financial and operational support for the humanitarian health response, the pressure on vulnerable populations and already fragile health systems will continue to increase.

WHO calls on all parties to protect civilians and healthcare, ensure unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access, and pursue de-escalation of the conflict so that communities can start to recover and transition towards peace.