Middle East crisis: Humanitarian fallout ‘worsening by the day’

“The humanitarian consequences of the Middle East escalation are worsening by the day,” OCHA said in its latest update.  

Since Wednesday, civilian casualties have been recorded in Iran and Kuwait, while damage or destruction to critical infrastructure has been highlighted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 

In Iran, a new wave of strikes was reported on Thursday in the provinces of Fars, Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan, including the country’s main oil-producing region. 

Local sources reported that a strike in Qeshm, Hormozgan province, hit a residential building, killing three civilians, including a two-year-old. Two other children were reportedly injured. 

Iranian health authorities said that as of 27 July, at least 60 people have been killed, and 670 injured, since hostilities escalated a month ago. 

UN agencies and humanitarian partners already operating in Iran continue to support the response to the growing humanitarian needs. 

The disruption is also affecting countries that play a key role in humanitarian operations in the region. Jordan and Egypt remain vital lifelines for aid deliveries and medical evacuations in this regard. 

As fighting intensifies, OCHA said it will continue to monitor the humanitarian impact.  The agency called on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, which includes protecting both civilians and vital infrastructure from harm. 

Five months have passed since the current crisis erupted following the US-Israeli bombing of Iran, and retaliatory strikes by Tehran against Gulf States and Jordan, with impacts felt throughout the region and beyond.  

An agreement signed in June establishing a ceasefire framework collapsed weeks later over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping corridor for oil, liquified natural gas and fertilisers.