Attachments
OVERVIEW
The escalation of hostilities across the Middle East and beyond has triggered a humanitarian crisis spanning multiple regions in an already fragile context. The conflict has resulted in loss of lives, destruction of civilian infrastructure and homes, disruption of essential services, suspension of live-saving assistance, and hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee, often repeatedly, within and across borders. National social systems and host community safety networks are also under considerable strain as protection needs continue to rise. This heightened regional tension has created a multidimensional crisis with significant impact to population mobility. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, over 115,000 civilian infrastructures have been damaged (as of 01 April 2026),1 and an estimated 250,000 people have had their homes directly affected. Ongoing conflict-related security are driving movements across multiple provinces as those who fear further escalation move toward areas of the cities and provinces they perceive as safer. There are indications of both primary and secondary movement that now spans more than 20 provinces. The situation in the country remains very volatile and fluid with at least an estimated one million movements potentially associated with the current context, according to the Ministry of Travel Coordination.1 At the same time, in neighbouring countries bordering the Islamic Republic of Iran, population movements continue to largely reflect routine, seasonal, or precautionary travel patterns rather than crisis‑driven displacement. While no large‑scale cross‑border movements have been observed to date, preparedness and contingency planning remain critical. In Lebanon, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with rising internal displacement and cross-border mobility. As of 07 April, over one million internally displaced persons have been reported, 138,744 of whom are in 678 collective sites. These conditions are further hampering the delivery of essential assistance, including food, water, medicine and shelter to vulnerable communities. Cross-border flows into the Syrian Arab Republic are also intensifying, reaching nearly 360,000 movements since 02 March and placing additional pressure on an already overstretched humanitarian system. IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) is on the ground, monitoring key border crossing points and hotspots to actively track displacement and cross-border mobility while scaling operations in coordination with local authorities and partners to better understand how the crisis is impacting human mobility in the region.