WHO raises alarm over attacks on health care in Iran, Lebanon

GENEVA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that it has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

"Under international humanitarian law, health care must be protected and not attacked," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference. He added that WHO is working closely with its offices in affected countries to monitor the impact on health services and provide support when needed and requested.

Tedros said WHO is deeply concerned about the situation in Iran and the wider Middle East, with 16 countries affected by the conflict.

So far, nearly 1,000 deaths have been reported in Iran, 50 in Lebanon, 13 in Israel and 11 in other Gulf countries, he said.

The conflict has also triggered significant displacement, with an estimated 100,000 people leaving Iran, more than 60,000 displaced in Lebanon, and at least 1 million people potentially on the move following evacuation orders in the south.

Tedros also expressed concern about the threat to nuclear facilities, noting that any compromise to nuclear safety could have serious public health consequences. ■