AS the Middle East conflict enters its third week, the war’s most enduring victims are not those who wage it. Instead, it is ordinary families forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods, carrying little more than what they can gather in their panic. Across Iran and Lebanon, this tragic pattern is unfolding once again. According to the UN refugee agency, between 600,000 and one million Iranian households have been displaced within Iran amid ongoing US-Israeli bombardment. Families are leaving Tehran and other urban centres in search of safety in rural communities. This is a journey of necessity, driven by fear of air raids and destruction. Among the most vulnerable are Afghan refugee families already living precariously in Iran; many now face displacement for a second time. Lebanon presents a similar picture. Israeli attacks have forced thousands to flee their homes. More than 800,000 people are reportedly displaced, with thousands crammed into collective shelters where sanitation is poor and essential supplies are scarce. In such conditions, the risks of exploitation and abuse, particularly for women and children, rise sharply. The human toll of displacement extends far beyond the immediate trauma of war. Social systems begin to unravel. Schools close, hospitals struggle to cope and livelihoods vanish overnight. Urban centres absorbing large numbers of displaced people face immense pressures. In both Iran and Lebanon, cities already grappling with economic strain must now contend with the challenge of supporting thousands of additional residents.

The question is painfully simple: how long can this continue? Each air strike sends another wave of families onto the roads. The devastating Israeli bombardment of Gaza appears to have taught the world few lessons and has failed to stir the collective conscience of global leaders. Humanitarian agencies are responding, but relief cannot resolve a crisis created by war. Without efforts to protect civilians and halt escalation, displacement will grow and deepen regional suffering.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026