Amman, Jordan / Washington, DC, March 1, 2026 – As deadly conflict escalates across Iran and the wider Middle East, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) calls for immediate de-escalation, maximum restraint, and urgent action to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran have reportedly struck numerous civilian sites and caused significant civilian casualties, including children. Among the deadliest reported incidents in Iran was a strike on the Shajarah Tayyiba Girls’ School in the city of Minab, which reportedly killed more than 100 children. The Iranian Red Crescent Society has reported over 200 people killed and more than 700 wounded across Iran, though casualty figures continue to evolve as attacks and rescue operations are underway.
Iranian retaliatory strikes have reportedly struck populated areas and civilian infrastructure across the region, including the Dubai airport, hotels, homes, and other urban facilities. CIVIC staff in the region have themselves witnessed damage to civilian infrastructure and widespread fear and disruption to civilian life, including airspace closures, shelter in place orders, and interruptions to multiple services. Civilian casualty figures and damage assessments in multiple countries are still being verified.
From where we sit in the region, the ramifications of this escalation are immediate and deeply alarming,” said Stephanie Yousef, CIVIC’s Senior Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, currently in Amman. “Missiles crossing borders, strikes impacting civilian infrastructure, rising casualties, and airspace disruptions are creating a climate of fear that extends far beyond the initial parties to the conflict. The longer this continues, the greater the risk of regional spillover, economic disruption, displacement, and profound civilian suffering. Regional and international leaders must act now to prevent a broader war.
CIVIC underscores that all parties to the conflict are bound by international humanitarian law to distinguish at all times between civilians and combatants, and between civilian objects and military objectives. Indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks violate international law and may constitute war crimes.
CIVIC was founded in large part to respond to the devastating harm caused by the US invasion of Iraq, another senseless war spurring decades of violence for which civilians paid the ultimate price,” said Annie Shiel, CIVIC’s US Director. “Civilians are already paying the price for this military escalation. We urgently need immediate de-escalation, the protection of civilians, and a return to diplomacy. US Congress must reassert its constitutional authority and rein in this reckless and unauthorized military campaign before more civilian lives are lost.
CIVIC calls on:
- All parties to immediately halt attacks in populated areas or that otherwise risk harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure and comply fully with international humanitarian law.
- Governments in the region to ensure civilian protection measures are in place, including early warning systems, safe corridors, and transparent casualty reporting.
- The United Nations Security Council and regional and international leaders to press for an immediate cessation of hostilities and to prioritize diplomatic solutions.
- The United States Congress to exercise its authority to prevent further escalation, and for the US military to take all steps to protect civilians in its operations, including implementation of Department of Defense civilian harm mitigation and response policies.
Without urgent action, this escalating cycle of attack and retaliation risks plunging the region into a wider war, in which civilians will continue to suffer first and foremost.
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is an international humanitarian NGO dedicated to protecting civilians in conflict. We work with affected communities, armed actors, and decision makers to prevent and respond to harm to civilians and make their protection a global priority.
Media Contact:
Doha, Qatar – Hajer Naili, Director of Communications, CIVIC – [email protected], +97431143955, WhatsApp: +19178895982
Washington, DC – Annie Shiel, US Director, CIVIC – [email protected]
Image courtesy of Mohammadjavad Alikhani
