Rising Civilian Harm in Iran and Mass Displacement in Yemen Heighten Humanitarian Needs

Independent investigators have documented a series of US air attacks on Iran that have struck civilian sites, including a school where over 160 children lost their lives. Subsequent raids hit a residential house on 30 July and a wedding celebration on 1 September, causing injuries among women and children from marginalized groups. Although US officials maintain that civilians were not targeted, the pattern of strikes has prompted the fact‑finding mission to question whether sufficient precautions are being taken under international law, and to call for an immediate halt to hostilities.

Fighting across Yemen has displaced at least 80,000 individuals, many of whom are fleeing for a second or third time. Since the start of September, at least 18,000 households—roughly 125,000 people—have been forced to leave their homes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs verified 40 civilian casualties between 1 September and 14 September, including eight deaths and 32 injuries. Women and children represent about half of those killed and more than half of the injured, underscoring the disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups amid Houthi advances near the Bab al‑Mandab Strait.

Despite severe insecurity, OCHA reports that aid has reached thousands of households as of 12 September, yet essential supplies such as food, shelter kits and medical items remain critically low. Funding gaps are widening the gap between needs and available resources, and insecurity has forced the suspension of operations on Yemen’s west coast and limited access to key road networks. The agency repeatedly urges all parties to guarantee safe, unimpeded humanitarian corridors and to respect international humanitarian law, emphasizing that protecting civilians and delivering assistance are vital to prevent further deterioration of the crisis.