Mideast war: Global energy markets jitters  and humanitarian crisis loom large

The war triggered by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran has widened significantly over the past several days, expanding across multiple fronts from Iranian cities to the Gulf and Lebanon while raising new concerns about the stability of global energy markets and the humanitarian consequences of the conflict. What began with coordinated US and Israeli air strikes on Iranian targets on 28 February has since evolved into a regional confrontation involving missile exchanges, attacks on military installations across the Gulf and intensified fighting along Israel’s northern frontier. Israeli strikes inside Iran have continued over the weekend, targeting sites across several provinces including Tehran, Shiraz, Qom, Kermanshah and Ahvaz.

Iranian officials say the attacks have struck military infrastructure but have also damaged residential areas and civilian facilities. Emergency services in several cities have reported destruction in residential neighbourhoods and damage to public infrastructure. The humanitarian toll inside Iran has drawn growing international scrutiny as the bombing campaign continues.

Humanitarian monitors estimate that more than 1 300 civilians have been killed since the strikes began, with hospitals reporting thousands of wounded across several regions. Children account for a significant share of the victims. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says approximately 180 children have been killed since the escalation began.

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One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the southern city of Minab, where a missile strike destroyed the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school during class hours on 28 February. UNICEF reported that 168 girls aged between seven and twelve were killed when the school was struck while pupils were in class. The attack has prompted international concern and calls for accountability.

United Nations human rights experts have called for an independent investigation into the strike, warning that attacks on schools and other civilian infrastructure raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law. UNICEF has also reported that at least 20 schools and 10 hospitals across Iran have been damaged during the bombardment. The agency warned that the conflict is exposing children to extreme danger while disrupting access to education and medical care.

At the same time, the battlefield has widened beyond Iran. Iran has continued launching missiles and drones toward Israeli territory in retaliation for the initial strikes. Air-defence systems have been activated repeatedly over cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa as incoming projectiles were intercepted.

Iran has also targeted United States military installations across the Gulf, striking bases and radar systems in countries that host American forces. Explosions and interceptions have been reported near facilities in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain has become one of the most sensitive locations in the conflict because it hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Iranian missiles and drones were directed toward facilities linked to the base, signalling Tehran’s strategy of expanding the battlefield to locations associated with American military operations.

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