Date: March 15, 2026 l Reporter: Dalena Reporters
According to the WHO, 12 medical workers were killed when a strike hit the Burj Qalaouiyeh Primary Healthcare Center, while two additional paramedics died in a separate attack on a health facility in Al-Sowana hours earlier.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the killings, describing them as a tragic development amid the rapidly worsening crisis in the region. The global health body emphasized that medical personnel and health facilities must always be protected under international humanitarian law, regardless of the conflict.
Health Facilities Increasingly Targeted
The attack occurred as violence intensifies between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants along the Lebanon-Israel border. Lebanese authorities reported that the airstrike destroyed parts of the healthcare center where doctors, nurses, and paramedics were on duty providing emergency services to civilians.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health condemned the incident, saying that targeting healthcare workers represents a serious violation of international law and further undermines already strained medical services in the country.
Growing Toll On Healthcare Workers
WHO officials warned that the killing of health workers is part of a broader pattern of attacks on Lebanon’s healthcare system since the latest phase of the conflict erupted in early March.
The organization said it has documented at least 27 attacks on healthcare facilities across Lebanon since March 2, resulting in 30 deaths and dozens of injuries among medical personnel and civilians.
The attacks have also damaged hospitals, clinics, and emergency response infrastructure, making it increasingly difficult for medical teams to provide lifesaving treatment to wounded civilians.
Regional War Intensifies
The violence in Lebanon is unfolding against the backdrop of a wider Middle East conflict involving Israel, Hezbollah, Iran, and other regional actors. Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah rocket attacks have intensified along the border, leading to hundreds of casualties and massive displacement of civilians.
International organizations and humanitarian groups have called for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of medical personnel working in war zones.
WHO reiterated that attacks on healthcare facilities not only violate international law but also threaten the survival of thousands of civilians who depend on emergency medical services during wartime.
As the conflict deepens, global health officials warn that continued strikes on medical infrastructure could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe across Lebanon and the wider Middle East region.