Middle East Crisis: Emergency Updates
LAST UPDATE: 3RD MARCH 2026
Waves of violence have plunged millions across the Middle East into fear and uncertainty - deepening already severe humanitarian crises. Bombing continues in multiple countries today, forcing families to flee with little more than the clothes they are wearing.
Teams from Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are already adapting to be able to meet escalating needs across the region. Our medical teams are on the ground in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen. Your support makes this possible.
Iran: Continuing Medical Assistance Amid Rising Tensions
Our MSF teams in Iran are confirmed safe. In three locations in Iran, we already provide primary healthcare, infectious disease screening and treatment, midwifery care, and mental health support — primarily for marginalised communities, including Afghan refugees.
Lebanon: Mass Displacement as Bombardment Intensifies
Since yesterday (Monday, 2 March), tens of thousands of people in Lebanon have fled their homes following relentless Israeli airstrikes across multiple areas.
Our teams are witnessing large-scale displacement, severe traffic congestion, and families seeking safety with almost no belongings. Civilians - already exhausted by repeated cycles of violence - are once again paying the highest price.
MSF teams are mobilising to respond to the urgent needs of newly displaced families, as well as maintaining continuity of care in our medical programmes across the country.
Listen below to a voice note from our field communications officer, Maryam Srour, recorded as she was fleeing her home in the Beirut suburbs amid the escalation of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.
"It was almost exactly as it was a year and three months ago: people fleeing under threat of fire, loud explosions, sirens, and people screaming. I woke up at 3 a.m. on Monday, March 2nd, to bone-chilling sounds that I hope no one ever grows accustomed to... While we were on the road, we received news that 53 towns and villages in southern Lebanon had been issued threats, or so-called evacuation orders, by Israeli forces. Fifty-three towns means thousands and thousands of families, including my own. We do not yet know how many people have been displaced, as the airstrikes are still happening and people continue to arrive in Beirut and other areas in droves. Once again, we found ourselves witnessing this endless loop of suffering for civilians—people just trying to go about their days."
Gaza: Massive Scale-Up of Lifesaving Assistance Needed
We continue to call for a massive scale-up of lifesaving assistance and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza. We are committed to remaining to provide assistance in Gaza and the West Bank for as long as possible, working under our registration with the Palestinian Authority.
Across the Middle East, our ability to respond quickly - deploying mobile clinics, providing trauma care, treating infectious diseases, supporting maternal health, and offering psychological first aid - depends on the generosity of supporters like you.
In moments like this, speed, flexibility, and sustained support save lives. Please continue to support our work for people caught in crisis.
