The humanitarian crisis in Iran has reached a critical stage as hostilities continue, with rising casualties and large-scale displacement reported across the country.
More than a week into the conflict, the humanitarian toll in Iran continues to mount. According to Al Jazeera, official figures indicate that over 1,300 people have been killed since the violence began.
The intensifying fighting has also forced around 100,000 people to flee their homes in search of safety. The large-scale displacement has strained relief efforts, with the UN refugee agency reporting a surge in urgent calls for assistance to address the growing needs of affected civilians.
Amid the worsening humanitarian situation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said the Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out targeted strikes on multiple Iranian military assets in Tehran.
In a post on X, the military’s official account stated: “STRUCK: Several fuel storage complexes belonging to the IRGC in Tehran.”
The operation, guided by IDF intelligence, targeted locations identified as hubs for supplying fuel to various Iranian military units.
“The IAF struck these complexes, where the Iranian terrorist regime distributes fuel to multiple military entities in Iran,” the IDF said.
According to the military, the strike “significantly deepens the damage to the military infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime.” The announcement was accompanied by a graphic identifying a fuel storage facility in Tehran used by Iranian military forces.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on Saturday (US local time), claimed the United States had eliminated Iran’s leadership and described the actions as removing a major “cancer” from the world.
When asked about allegations that the United States was responsible for the bombing of an elementary girls’ school in Iran, Trump denied the claim and instead blamed Iran.
“No, I don’t believe so. Based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran. We think it was done by Iran because they’re very inaccurate with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever,” Trump said while travelling to Miami.
He also claimed the US had inflicted major military damage on Iran.
“We’re winning the war by a lot. We’ve decimated their whole evil empire. It’ll continue, I’m sure, for a little while. The war itself is going unbelievably,” Trump said.
Detailing the extent of the damage, he added: “We’ve wiped out their navy—44 ships. We’ve wiped out their air force, every plane. We’ve wiped out most of their missiles. Their drone capacity is way down, and we’ve hurt them where it hurts, including about every form of leadership you can have.”
Despite the aggressive military rhetoric, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who was also aboard Air Force One, said a diplomatic agreement with Iran could still be possible.
“I think there is a possibility, but that’s going to be up to the President,” Witkoff said, adding that earlier negotiations had stalled after Iranian officials refused to concede diplomatically what they believed could not be taken militarily.
The escalation has raised international concern, particularly in the United Kingdom.
British MP Tom Tugendhat told ANI that the situation was worrying not only for Iran but also for neighbouring countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
“India has about nine million citizens in the region; we have about 300,000 citizens there, so there’s huge concern,” Tugendhat said.
He added that rising energy prices remain a global concern. “Resolving this challenge quickly is good not just for the global economy, but for families and homes across the world.”
The latest developments follow a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory, which reportedly resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials, triggering a fierce response from Tehran.
Iran subsequently launched ballistic missiles and drones targeting US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, widening the conflict across West Asia and increasing risks for civilians and expatriates. (ANI)
