Israeli attack on Iranian Red Crescent facility ‘a war crime’: Envoy

“The deliberate targeting of humanitarian and medical facilities by the Israeli regime is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes an undeniable war crime”, Iravani said in letters he wrote to the UN secretary general and the president of the UN Security Council.

The attack, which the Iranian envoy called “heinous and savage”, took place on October 9 and completely destroyed the Iranian facility and its supplies.

The following is the full text of Iravani’s letters:

Excellency,

On instructions from my Government, I am writing to bring to your attention and to strongly condemn the deliberate and brutal bombardment of the Iranian Red Crescent’s humanitarian aid depot by the Israeli occupying regime on the night of 9 October 2024. This facility, which was located on the Syrian-Lebanese border, held essential humanitarian supplies, including 200 hospital beds, a fully equipped field hospital with 56 beds and advanced medical equipment, oxygen production units, critical medical items, two mobile bakery machines, food and drinking water, 5,000 food packages, and other vital shelter materials. This heinous attack on humanitarian aid is a flagrant violation of international law and an egregious attack on life-saving relief efforts. The humanitarian facility was established by the Iranian Red Crescent solely to provide critical assistance to displaced Lebanese civilians and victims of the Israeli regime’s relentless and barbaric aggression, offering a vital lifeline to those suffering in the face of such atrocities. The Red Crescent of the Islamic Republic of Iran had formally informed the International Committee of the Red Cross of its intention to establish this humanitarian aid center. Yet, despite its clear humanitarian purpose, the facility and its supplies were completely destroyed in this savage and terrorist attack.

The deliberate targeting of humanitarian and medical facilities by the Israeli regime is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes an undeniable war crime. Under international law, any attack on civilian infrastructure, particularly humanitarian and medical facilities, equipment, and hospitals, is unequivocally prohibited. These centers and their equipment are afforded absolute protection without exception and must be respected and safeguarded at all times. Any breach of this fundamental principle is a grave violation of international law and must not be tolerated under any circumstances.