Since February 28, 2026, coordinated US-Israeli military strikes on Iran have escalated into a full-scale war affecting millions of civilians. The conflict has killed over 3,600 people — including at least 1,700 civilians — injured more than 32,000, and displaced an estimated 3.2 million, making it the largest humanitarian crisis in the Middle East in decades.
Scale of the Crisis
The strikes have targeted military and government sites across multiple Iranian provinces, but the toll on civilian infrastructure has been devastating. At least 65 schools and 32 medical facilities have been hit, and more than 10,000 civilian sites have sustained damage. Approximately 60% of the displaced are women and children, and an estimated 15% of all casualties have been children under the age of 18.
The conflict has also destabilized the broader region. Over one million Lebanese have been displaced by a concurrent Israeli ground offensive documented on our Lebanon War disaster page, and hundreds of thousands have fled across borders into neighboring countries.
Humanitarian Response Under Strain
Aid organizations face severe challenges reaching those in need. Humanitarian supply chains into Iran have been disrupted, making it increasingly difficult and costly for essential medical and relief items to reach affected populations.
American Red Cross — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has delivered 171 metric tonnes of emergency supplies to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, including blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets, and solar lamps sufficient for nearly 25,000 people. The ICRC also donated 200 generators and 100 motor pumps. Tragically, the Iranian Red Crescent has lost four relief workers in the line of duty since the conflict began.
Direct Relief has delivered over $100 million in medical aid and grants to healthcare partners across the Middle East, working to maintain supply lines for critical medications, surgical instruments, and trauma kits despite severe disruptions to regional logistics.
Mercy Corps is providing meals, food parcels, and relief items to displaced families across the region, building on its existing operations in the Middle East to scale up emergency food distribution.
International Medical Corps is deploying medical teams and mobile health units to support overwhelmed healthcare facilities in conflict-affected areas, focusing on trauma care and emergency surgical capacity.
Save the Children is working to protect the estimated 1.2 million children displaced across the region, providing emergency education, psychosocial support, and child protection services.
CARE is coordinating emergency shelter, food assistance, and protection services for displaced families, with a focus on the needs of women and girls who make up the majority of the displaced population.
How to Help
The humanitarian needs in Iran are immense and growing. Visit our US-Israel War on Iran disaster page to see all responding organizations and find ways to support relief efforts through the Relief Directory.
