Preliminary figures show at least 1,500 killed in Iran, at least 18 in Israel, 13 US soldiers, and 22 killed in Gulf states. In Lebanon, at least 1,072 people have been killed and 2,966 wounded since hostilities escalated on 2 March. Strikes on Iran by the US and Israel have left more than 82,000 civilian structures damaged or destroyed, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The conflict that began with a joint US-Israeli assault on Iran on 28 February 2026 has expanded into a regional catastrophe, drawing in Lebanon, the Gulf states, Iraq and Yemen. On 25 March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned bluntly that the war is “out of control,” appointing veteran diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy to spearhead mediation efforts.

Source: UN Secretary-General press remarks, New York, 25 March 2026; Al Jazeera live blog, 25 March 2026; NBC News live blog, 25 March 2026; ACLED Middle East Special Issue, March 2026; Al Jazeera death toll tracker, updated 25 March 2026; UK House of Commons Library briefing, US-Israel Strikes on Iran: February/March 2026.