The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a grave alert regarding the escalating crisis in Lebanon, reporting that 14 healthcare workers were killed in a span of just 24 hours, marking a devastating escalation in the regional conflict.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that 12 doctors, nurses, and paramedics lost their lives late on Friday, following a strike on the Bourj Qalaouiyeh primary healthcare center.
This tragedy occurred only hours after a separate attack on a health facility in Al Sowana resulted in the deaths of two other paramedics.
These incidents are part of a broader and accelerating pattern of violence against Lebanon’s healthcare infrastructure. 
According to the WHO, 27 separate attacks on healthcare facilities have been verified since March 2, leading to at least 30 deaths and 35 injuries among medical staff and civilians.
”The killings in the last 24 hours of 14 health workers in southern Lebanon mark a tragic development in the escalating Middle East crisis,” the WHO Chief stated.
The organization emphasized that such acts directly violate international humanitarian law, which mandates that medical personnel, facilities, transport must be protected and never militarized.
As the conflict intensifies, the strain on Lebanon’s health system is reaching a critical threshold.
Beyond the loss of life, evacuation orders have forced the closure of numerous primary healthcare centers, hospitals, severely limiting access to life-saving care for displaced and vulnerable populations.
The WHO continues to call for immediate de-escalation to prevent further loss of life and to safeguard the remaining medical infrastructure essential for the survival of those trapped in the conflict.
