Internally displaced people in Lebanon spend the night in tents on the street. Middle East: more and more people need humanitarian assistance Peace and security
Heavy airstrikes that have continued since February 28 have led to numerous civilian casualties in Iran and widespread destruction in at least 20 provinces, including Tehran, Esfahan and Kermanshah, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 1.2 thousand people have been killed, over 17 thousand have been injured.
Millions of people fled the affected areas. It is estimated that up to 3.2 million people are internally displaced.
Residential buildings, schools, medical facilities and cultural heritage sites were hit. Humanitarian organizations warn that the need for shelter and humanitarian aid is rapidly growing as the crisis deepens.
125 thousand people fled from Lebanon to Syria
Meanwhile, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 125 thousand people fled from Lebanon to Syria. Most of them are Syrian citizens, as well as about 7 thousand Lebanese.
The organization also notes that half of all refugees are children.
The IOM warned that many families are arriving with little or no resources and called on the international community to urgently help people arriving in Syria.
Major destinations are already under severe pressure, and a further influx of refugees could pose a significant challenge to host communities.
Rising tensions in the Persian Gulf
Today there were reports of two new incidents with ships in the waters off the coast of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
At the same time, gas prices rose sharply on Thursday after an attack allegedly carried out by Iran on Ras Laffan, Qatar’s largest energy complex. This was in response to Israel’s attack on the South Pars gas field in Tehran a day earlier.
In one case, a ship located east of Ras Laffan was hit, but the crew was reportedly unharmed. In another, a ship east of the town of Khor Fakkan caught fire after being hit by a shell, the UK’s Maritime Trade Authority said.
In total, since the beginning of the escalation on February 28, 22 incidents have been recorded in the region, of which 16 are classified as attacks. Vessel crews are advised to exercise extreme caution.
UN Maritime Agency resumes emergency session
The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has resumed an extraordinary session on the risks to shipping and seafarers in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Opening the meeting on Wednesday, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed grave concern about attacks on merchant ships that have killed and injured seafarers, and warned that some 20,000 crew members remain at risk.
He stressed that “any attack on peaceful sailors or civilian vessels is completely unacceptable” and called for de-escalation and safe passage for crews.
Delegates are expected to continue discussing practical measures to ensure maritime safety, protection of seafarers and the marine environment.
Rafah crossing reopened for medical evacuation
In Gaza, the Rafah crossing reopened for medical evacuation of patients, leaving the enclave for treatment. True, the number of those allowed to enter and leave is limited.
OCHA notes that the scale of evacuation should be much wider.
“As we said earlier, the opening of crossings should be meaningful,” said Department representative Olga Cherevko, calling for both the movement of people and the delivery of humanitarian and commercial cargo.
She warned that the situation in Gaza remains dire, with tight restrictions making it difficult to provide assistance to the population.