The United Nations is raising urgent concerns over the growing humanitarian toll of the Israeli-U.S. airstrikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, warning that civilians are paying the highest price.
UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani described as “absolutely horrific” a reported strike on a primary school in Minab that allegedly killed and injured dozens of girls. Bloodstained backpacks, she said, now symbolise the destruction and cruelty of the escalating conflict.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for a prompt and impartial investigation into the Minab attack, stressing that any deliberate or indiscriminate strike on civilians could amount to a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Beyond Iran and Israel, at least 12 other countries have reportedly been impacted, with homes, airports and energy infrastructure damaged. In Lebanon, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says nearly 30,000 people have sought shelter following Israeli strikes after Hezbollah entered the conflict. Many more remain displaced, sleeping in cars or stranded in traffic.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme warns that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea are threatening critical supply routes, raising fears of delays in food and humanitarian aid deliveries across the region.
The UN is urging all sides to protect civilians, uphold international law and ensure accountability, warning that unchecked escalation could destabilise the wider Middle East.
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