Lebanon's schools are shelters, children fear drone sounds: IRC chief warns of 'crisis within war'

David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), has issued a stark warning about the cascading humanitarian crises fueled by escalating global conflicts, emphasizing the devastating impact of the US-Iran war on Lebanon.

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Lebanon's schools have become shelters, and children mistake camera shutter sounds for drones. People were crying just thinking about their hometowns.

During a recent interview in Seoul, Miliband recounted his visit to Lebanon in April, where he witnessed firsthand the dire consequences of the conflict. "Lebanon's schools have become shelters, and children mistake camera shutter sounds for drones," he stated, conveying the pervasive fear and displacement among civilians. He shared a particularly poignant memory of a woman displaced by Israeli bombing who expressed despair, saying, "I don't think I can ever go home again."

Miliband, a former British Foreign Secretary, highlighted how existing humanitarian crises are being compounded by new conflicts, creating a "new world disorder." He pointed to Lebanon, already facing significant challenges, now grappling with over 3,300 deaths due to the current war. "These crises are accumulating and combining in very dangerous ways," he warned, characterizing the situation not just as a military conflict but as a geopolitical and international cooperation crisis.

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I don't think I can ever go home again.

The repercussions extend far beyond the Middle East, Miliband explained. "The Iran war is changing the lives of people all over the world," he noted, citing rising gas and oil prices in Asia and increased operational costs for international aid organizations. He further elaborated on the impact on agriculture, as 30% of global fertilizer trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially leading to widespread food insecurity. The World Food Programme has already warned that an additional 45 million people could face acute hunger, pushing the global total to a staggering 363 million.

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These crises are accumulating and combining in very dangerous ways.

Miliband attributed the root cause to diplomatic failures, referencing the breakdown of the Iran nuclear deal and the current state of global affairs where "over 60 wars are happening in the world." He expressed concern that international attention is shifting rapidly from one crisis to another, leaving long-standing issues in places like Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Sudan increasingly forgotten. He urged for a restoration of diplomacy and an expansion of humanitarian aid, emphasizing that "humanitarian aid is not charity, it is risk management," and that neglecting regional crises will ultimately affect everyone.

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The Iran war is changing the lives of people all over the world.