The United Nations Secretary-General was very clear on issues related to international law, according to his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, in response to President Donald Trump’s comments threatening to strike bridges and other infrastructures in Iran. “Such attacks constitute violations of international law.”
“Civilian infrastructures, including energy, should not be targeted, and even when they could be considered military targets, international humanitarian law prohibits any attack that could result in excessive civilian casualties,” he added.
“It is high time to end the conflict,” the UN chief said, emphasizing that there is “no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes.”
The Secretary-General also reiterated that “the question of whether an act constitutes a war crime must be decided by a tribunal, but any attack on civilian infrastructure is a clear violation of international law.”
In addition, Mr. Dujarric stated that Jean Arnault, Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Middle East and its consequences, was traveling to the region on Monday as part of efforts related to the Strait of Hormuz.
Lebanon: Attacks on Health Facilities Should Not Become the Norm
At least four people were killed and 39 others injured on Sunday in a strike near Rafic Hariri University Hospital, Lebanon’s largest public facility.
The hospital itself was not damaged, but the World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned about the increasing proximity of hostilities to essential medical centers, amidst attacks on health structures.
Since the escalation began on February 28, 92 attacks on health facilities and ambulances have been verified, resulting in 53 deaths and 137 injuries.
“These acts cannot become the new norm,” warned WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stressing that “protecting health care is not optional, but a universal obligation.”
Water Supply Threatened by Conflict
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) has warned of a rapid deterioration in water security in the Gulf, where nearly 40 million people depend on desalination for drinking water.
Any disruption – linked to strikes, damage to energy infrastructure, or seawater contamination – could interrupt the water supply.
In Gaza, an airstrike on March 25 reduced the capacity of the main desalination plant in the south by less than 20%, depriving about 500,000 people of adequate access to drinking water, despite emergency deliveries.
The UN warns that these threats could “seriously affect water supply,” as displacements, particularly in Lebanon, further strain essential services.
Displacements: Sustained Flows Across the Region
Population movements related to the crisis in the Middle East continue in several countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Between late February and April 2, around 68,600 Iranians crossed the border into Turkey, with nearly 53,000 returning, while up to 3.2 million people remain displaced within Iran.
In Lebanon, over a million people have been displaced, including more than a third children, and over 136,000 are living in collective sites, with around 190,000 Syrians and over 31,700 Lebanese crossing into Syria since the escalation began.
Elsewhere, more than 57,700 Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan, amid persistent instability and border tensions.
