“Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind” – J. F. Kennedy
This quote by John F. Kennedy reminds global leaders, including Donald J. Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, that policies justified in the name of state security must also account for their immense human and environmental costs. The longstanding pattern of wars and military operations across the Middle East, including the recent escalation involving Iran, offers clear evidence of the enormous human and environmental costs of conflict, from civilian casualties and displacement to pollution, ecological destruction, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Recent strikes on oil facilities, for example, have produced toxic smoke, acid rain, and widespread air pollution that threaten both public health and regional ecosystems.
Conflicts in the region, whether interstate tensions, proxy confrontations, or prolonged civil wars, are causing deep human suffering. Millions of civilians across the region face shortages of food, clean water, healthcare, and electricity. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), recent hostilities have forced over 330,000 people to flee their homes across the region in a matter of weeks, adding to the millions already uprooted by protracted wars.
In Syria, more than 7.2 million people remain internally displaced, and approximately 16.7 million, over half the population, now require humanitarian assistance, reflecting both economic collapse and the breakdown of health, water, and sanitation systems. In Gaza, escalating conflict has displaced over 3 million people, overwhelming public services and further straining fragile infrastructure such as hospitals, water treatment plants, and energy networks. These statistics underscore the profound human toll of conflict, not only in terms of displacement but also in the destruction of essential public services and livelihoods.
War zones frequently witness extensive damage to hospitals, water treatment facilities, and energy networks. In Palestine, repeated assaults have left the healthcare system in tatters, with over 84% of health facilities in Gaza damaged or rendered nonfunctional. Water and electricity networks have also suffered extensive damage. In Syria, conflict has destroyed critical infrastructure, including water supply systems, sewage networks, and power plants. Currently, the country operates at only around 30% of its 2010 electricity capacity, while over 50% of water systems are damaged, leaving millions without access to clean water and sanitation.
In Iran, the recent escalation has similarly affected civilian infrastructure and the environment. Iranian Red Crescent assessments report that thousands of civilian structures have been damaged, including more than 25 hospitals and multiple health service centers forced out of service. Airstrikes on oil depots and fuel infrastructure have ignited large fires that release dangerous pollutants, including soot, sulphur compounds, and heavy metals into the atmosphere, leading to toxic “black rain” and raising concerns about long-term soil and water contamination.
To Understand the human and climate costs of Middle Eastern conflicts requires a nexus theoretical framework, integrating human security (the “Why”), environmental security (the “What”), and international climate governance (the “How”).
At the core of this framework is human security, which shifts the focus from traditional state-centric power politics to the protection of individuals and communities. Armed conflicts exacerbate environmental vulnerabilities and climate challenges, amplifying the human cost of war. For example, the destruction of water and sanitation systems heightens the risk of disease outbreaks, while environmental degradation worsens conditions for displaced populations.
Applying this framework reveals that the crisis cannot be understood solely through military strategy or geopolitical competition. Policymakers must integrate human security and climate resilience into conflict response strategies, prioritizing the restoration of hospitals, water systems, and energy networks. Regional cooperation on shared environmental resources can strengthen both peacebuilding and long-term ecological sustainability.
International legal frameworks such as the Geneva Conventions establish rules for protecting civilians and essential infrastructure during armed conflict, emphasizing the safeguarding of medical personnel, water supplies, and agricultural lands. However, the complexity of modern conflicts, characterized by proxy warfare, non-state actors, and urban battlefields, often undermines effective compliance.
Middle Eastern governments struggling with security crises frequently postpone environmental policies, renewable energy transitions, and climate adaptation strategies, leaving populations exposed to climate shocks such as droughts, heatwaves, and water shortages. These challenges highlight the need for practical, enforceable mechanisms to integrate humanitarian and environmental priorities within conflict management.
Thus, the Middle East’s ongoing conflicts demonstrate how human suffering and ecological degradation are mutually reinforcing, underscoring the urgent need to integrate human security, humanitarian law, and climate action frameworks into regional policy responses. Addressing the Middle East crisis thus requires a lens that recognizes both the immediate humanitarian toll and the long-term climatic consequences of war.
