Strikes on Iran's civilian infrastructure compound aid needs in Middle East: UN agencies

UNITED NATIONS: Strikes across Iran hit civilian infrastructure, compounding relief needs as Middle East aid workers struggle with access constraints, UN humanitarians said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the airstrikes in Iran have severely affected essential services. Iran's Ministry of Health reported that 309 health facilities and 42 ambulances have been damaged, with seven hospitals evacuated since the attacks began on February 28.

OCHA also said that power disruptions and outages have been reported in several areas, and that a desalination plant on Qeshm Island in Hormozgan Province was impacted, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said that as of Wednesday, more than 115,000 civilian buildings, including health, education, residential and commercial facilities, have been impacted. The Ministry of Education reported damage to more than 700 educational facilities. Humanitarian responders remain active, with IRCS teams operating in more than 1,200 affected areas.