The humanitarian situation in the Middle East is deteriorating as conflict continues beyond the strikes and counterstrikes between the United States and Iran, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

OCHA highlighted that civilians are increasingly at risk and essential infrastructure has been disrupted in several countries across the region. Since Wednesday, civilian casualties have been recorded in Iran and Kuwait, while critical infrastructure damage has been reported in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

In Iran, a new wave of strikes was reported on July 30 in the provinces of Fars, Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Khuzestan, including the country's main oil-producing region. Local sources reported that a strike in Qeshm, Hormozgan province, hit a residential building, killing three civilians, including a two-year-old child.

Iranian health authorities stated that as of July 27, at least 60 people have been killed and 670 injured since hostilities escalated about a month ago. UN agencies and humanitarian partners operating in Iran continue to support the response to the growing humanitarian needs.

The ongoing disruption also affects countries that play key roles in humanitarian operations in the region. OCHA said it will continue to monitor the humanitarian impact as fighting intensifies.

This crisis began five months ago following US-Israeli bombings in Iran and retaliatory strikes by Tehran against Gulf States and Jordan, with consequences felt throughout the region and beyond.

Sources