UN News Today 06 March 2026 |

UN rights chief urges de-escalation as Middle East war spreads

War in the Middle East is “spreading like wildfire” with major repercussions across the world, the UN human rights chief has warned.

Speaking in Geneva seven days since Israel and the United States began bombing Iran, Volker Türk urged an end to the violence, which has seen counterstrikes by Tehran launched across the Middle East:

“I urge the States involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate – to give peace a chance and on other States to call clearly on those involved to pull back. Cool heads must prevail if we are to prevent further terror and devastation for civilians.”

The UN human rights chief condemned the inflammatory rhetoric that’s accompanied the war, along with as he said, “more bombings, more destruction, killings and escalation”, which only serve to fuel the crisis. 

Mr. Türk noted that international law had been derided by unnamed parties who sought to sow “confusion” about the fundamental values of humanity.

And as the crisis escalates further, the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on national leaders everywhere “unequivocally to commit to defending international human rights law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter itself”, to prevent more bloodshed.

Lebanon suffering in spotlight amid Israeli evacuation orders 

To Lebanon, where aid teams have confirmed massive upheaval, with whole suburbs of Beirut emptied, following Israeli strikes and evacuation orders.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported dramatic scenes on Thursday evening as the Israeli army carried out “multiple air strikes on the southern suburb of Beirut”.

Hundreds of shelters are available for people fleeing the violence, said the UN agency’s Chief of Mission in Lebanon, Mathieu Luciano:

“On the collective shelters, indeed you know, many are actually already at full capacity, especially in Beirut’s Mount Lebanon. So, people are just redirected to other shelters, as I said, especially in the north, in Al Qaa, in safe places in the Bekaa as well, where there’s still some place.”

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has declared the escalating crisis a major humanitarian emergency.

Significant numbers of people are being displaced across the region and into southwest Asia, the agency said, highlighting the need for a regional response and a critical funding crunch.

Before the war started, UNHCR needed $454 million in 2026 to help people in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. 

Lifesaving relief for Gaza, Sudan, held up by supply chain crisis: WHO

In related news, UN aid teams have warned that the war is already having a serious impact on lifesaving relief shipments to Gaza, Sudan and beyond.

Shipping through the crucial global transit route, the Strait of Hormuz, is practically at a standstill and elsewhere, including Port Sudan and other sea trading hubs in Africa, said Anne Schaefer, IOM Deputy Director for humanitarian response and recovery:

 “For Gaza, we currently have destined shelter items, tarps, and they are all stuck in different stages, unable to now arrive…We are going to see a significant deterioration of the supply chain very, very quickly, especially as some very large-scale projects are literally just starting in the situation, especially in Sudan, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating very, very quickly.”

Sudan’s rainy season will begin soon which will make it “very, very difficult” to reach populations in need of help unless supplies can be delivered in the next six to eight weeks, particularly in the eastern Sudan Darfur regions, Ms. Schaefer explained.

Daniel Johnson, UN News