Riyadh: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned Tuesday that the escalating Middle East crisis is casting an increasingly serious shadow on civilians throughout the region. In remarks reported by the UN News website, Turk expressed grave concern over the repeated attacks on residential areas and vital infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, water facilities, and power grids.

According to Qatar News Agency, Turk stressed the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all costs, calling all parties to respect international humanitarian law and be held accountable for its violations. He also warned of the potentially dire environmental and humanitarian consequences of attacks on vital infrastructure, noting that the Middle East crisis is already having global repercussions, disrupting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and affecting energy, food, and fertilizer supplies.

Turk further noted that most reports indicate that the most vulnerable populations will bear the brunt of the current crisis.