More than one million people have been displaced by escalating conflict in Lebanon, as health systems across the Middle East struggle under increasing strain, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported Friday.
National health authorities in Iran have reported over 1,300 deaths and 9,000 injuries, while Lebanon has recorded at least 570 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries. In Israel, authorities report 15 deaths and 2,142 injuries. These figures reflect a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation more than ten days into the latest escalation.
The conflict is directly impacting healthcare infrastructure. WHO has verified 18 attacks on health care facilities in Iran since February 28, resulting in eight deaths among health workers. In Lebanon, 25 attacks on health care have resulted in 16 deaths and 29 injuries. These attacks are a violation of international humanitarian law, depriving communities of essential care.
Beyond immediate casualties, the conflict is creating significant public health risks. Current estimates indicate over 100,000 people in Iran have relocated due to insecurity, and up to 700,000 have been internally displaced in Lebanon. Many are sheltering in crowded conditions with limited access to safe water and sanitation, increasing the risk of infectious diseases, particularly among vulnerable populations like women and children.
Environmental hazards are also a growing concern. In Iran, fires at petroleum facilities and smoke from damaged infrastructure have exposed communities to toxic pollutants, causing respiratory problems and potentially contaminating water and food supplies.
Access to health services is becoming increasingly constrained. In Lebanon, 49 primary health care centers and five hospitals have been forced to close following evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military. In the occupied Palestinian territory, movement restrictions and checkpoint closures are delaying access for ambulances and mobile clinics in the West Bank. Hospitals in Gaza continue to operate under severe strain, facing shortages of medicines, supplies, and fuel, with rationing prioritized for emergency and trauma care.
Temporary airspace restrictions are disrupting the delivery of medical supplies. More than 50 emergency supply requests, intended to benefit over 1.5 million people across 25 countries, are currently backlogged, impacting shipments planned for Gaza, Lebanon, and Afghanistan. A shipment of cholera response supplies for Mozambique is expected to depart from WHO’s Dubai logistics hub in the coming week.
The escalation occurs at a time when humanitarian needs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are already at a critical level. Approximately 115 million people – almost half of all those in need globally – require humanitarian assistance, yet humanitarian health emergency appeals are 70% underfunded.
WHO is calling on all parties to protect civilians and healthcare facilities, ensure sustained humanitarian access, and pursue de-escalation to allow communities to begin recovery.
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