US and Israel Force 3.2 Million Iranians to Flee in Under Two Weeks of War

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the war that began on February 28 has forced up to 3.2 million people to flee their homes inside Iran, with preliminary assessments showing between 600,000 and one million households temporarily displaced.

“More than three million people have been displaced in Iran since the United States and Israel launched a war against the country late last month, the United Nations says, as concerns mount over a worsening humanitarian crisis”

Al Jazeera

UNHCR’s count — described in multiple international outlets — frames the scale of displacement as immediate and extensive, and agencies warn the number is likely to rise as hostilities continue.

Al Jazeera

UNHCR and reporting from regional outlets say displacement has been concentrated among residents of Tehran and other major cities, with many households moving toward northern provinces and rural areas to seek safety.

Local and international reports describe people ‘‘fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas’’ as civilians search for less exposed locations.

AzerNews

UNHCR officials and multiple news outlets warned that the displacement is straining humanitarian resources and that the crisis could deepen if fighting continues.

“CAIRO -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a report on Thursday that up to 3”

China Daily

The agency has called for protection of civilians, maintained humanitarian access and open borders for those seeking safety, and stressed that the figures represent a worrying escalation in needs.

UNHCR and regional reporting highlighted that refugee families hosted in Iran — mostly Afghans — are among the hardest hit, with agencies warning their precarious legal and economic situations make them particularly vulnerable and at risk of secondary displacement.

Multiple outlets repeat UNHCR’s language that these refugee populations have limited support networks and face heightened risks amid the mass movements.

Daily Sabah

News reports attribute the displacement to a joint U.S.-Israeli offensive that began on February 28 and to subsequent strikes across the region; several outlets cite UN and military statements about the campaign’s scale and impacts.

Coverage notes the initial joint aerial campaign and multiple strikes by US forces, framing the civilian displacement as a direct consequence of the cross-border military operations.

Folha de S.Paulo