UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for “maximum restraint” from both Israel and Iran on Thursday as their escalating military strikes inflict heavy civilian casualties across the region, according to a UN news report. The widescale attacks that began June 13 have killed hundreds and risk setting “the whole region ablaze,” Türk warned in a statement demanding both countries respect international humanitarian law.
The airstrikes and missile attacks have hit civilians hard on both sides. Iranian authorities say at least 224 people have died from Israeli strikes, though human rights groups believe the real number is higher. In Israel, officials report 24 deaths and more than 840 injuries from Iranian missile and drone attacks. Türk expressed alarm at how “civilians are treated as collateral damage,” noting that threats and heated language from leaders on both sides point to a “worrying intention” to inflict harm on ordinary people.
The violence has triggered widespread panic among ordinary people trying to escape the fighting. When Israel called for civilian evacuations on Tuesday, Tehran residents fled the city in massive traffic jams while fuel shortages created hours-long lines at gas stations across Iran. The UN refugee agency expressed grave concern that people are moving within Iran and some are leaving for neighboring countries.
“Iran has long hosted the largest Afghan refugee population in the world. Now, its own people are experiencing devastation and fear,” said UNHCR Spokesperson Babar Baloch.
The escalation is already spreading beyond Iran and Israel, with missile launches from Yemen and heightened tensions involving armed groups in Iraq. The UN humanitarian office warned this comes as the region already faces mounting humanitarian needs, reduced funding, and limited space for aid operations.
