United States and Israel Accused of Waging Covert War on Iran's Healthcare Infrastructure as Global Outcry Grows

The United States and Israel have been accused of waging a covert war on Iran's healthcare infrastructure, targeting hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions in a campaign that has drawn sharp condemnation from Iranian officials and global health organizations. At the center of the controversy is the Pasteur Institute of Iran, a historic medical research facility in Tehran that Iranian authorities claim was struck in a recent attack. The assault has reignited debates over the moral implications of targeting civilian infrastructure in a region already grappling with the fallout of prolonged conflict.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon by training, has taken a direct stance on the issue. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: "What message does attacking hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and the Pasteur Institute as a medical research center in Iran convey?" The president, who has long emphasized his medical background, urged international health organizations to intervene. "As a specialist physician, I urge WHO, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and physicians worldwide to respond to this crime against humanity," he stated. His appeal underscores the growing concern among Iranian officials that the attacks are not only undermining Iran's public health system but also violating international norms against targeting civilian infrastructure.

The Pasteur Institute, founded in 1920 through a partnership with the renowned Institut Pasteur in Paris, has been a cornerstone of Iran's medical research for over a century. According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, the facility is "the oldest and most prestigious research and public health centre in Iran and the entire Middle East." It has played a pivotal role in combating diseases such as smallpox, cholera, and more recently, in developing vaccines for tetanus, hepatitis B, and measles. Baghaei condemned the attack on the institute as "heartbreaking, cruel, despicable, and utterly outrageous," though he did not specify whether there were casualties. The World Health Organization (WHO) later confirmed that two departments of the institute had collaborated with the agency, raising concerns about the disruption of critical health programs.

The attacks on the Pasteur Institute are part of a broader pattern of strikes on Iran's healthcare sector. Since March 1, the WHO has verified over 20 attacks on medical facilities in Iran, resulting in at least nine deaths, including that of an infectious diseases health worker and a member of the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Among the targeted sites was a Red Crescent warehouse in Bushehr province, struck by a drone on Friday. While no casualties were reported, the attack destroyed two relief containers, two buses, and emergency vehicles, according to Fars news agency.

Another significant strike occurred on March 31, when Israeli-US forces targeted Tofigh Daru Research and Engineering Company in Tehran, a pharmaceutical firm linked to the Social Security Investment Company. The company, which develops active pharmaceutical ingredients for anticancer drugs, narcotics, and immunomodulatory treatments, was identified as one of Iran's largest pharmaceutical producers. Despite the destruction, no confirmed casualties were reported.

The Delaram Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Tehran also suffered significant damage during an attack on March 29. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the hospital was hosting around 30 patients at the time of the strike. The hospital's director told IRNA that no specific casualty figures had been confirmed, but the damage raised urgent questions about the safety of vulnerable populations in conflict zones.

The WHO has repeatedly warned that the ongoing attacks are exacerbating a fragile healthcare system already strained by years of economic sanctions and political instability. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the risks to health workers, patients, and civilians: "The conflict in Iran, and the region, is impacting the delivery of health services and the safety of health workers, patients, and civilians present at health facilities." His statements reflect a growing international concern that the targeting of medical infrastructure could have long-term consequences for public health in the region.

Iranian officials and medical professionals argue that the attacks are part of a deliberate strategy to cripple the country's ability to respond to both immediate and long-term health crises. "This is not just about bombs and missiles," said Dr. Ali Rezaei, a Tehran-based physician who has worked at the Pasteur Institute for over two decades. "It's about destroying the very foundation of our healthcare system—our research, our vaccines, our ability to protect the most vulnerable."

As the conflict continues, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the humanitarian toll of these attacks. For now, the Pasteur Institute and other medical facilities remain at the heart of a growing controversy—one that raises urgent questions about the ethics of warfare in an era where the lines between military targets and civilian infrastructure are increasingly blurred.

The Ali Hospital in Andimeshk, located in Iran's Khuzestan province, suffered significant damage following an explosion on March 21, according to reports from the Mehr and Fars news agencies. The incident forced the facility to evacuate its staff and suspend all medical services, leaving the local community without critical healthcare access. While no casualties were immediately reported, the disruption has raised concerns about the vulnerability of medical infrastructure in conflict-prone regions. The hospital's plight mirrors a broader pattern of attacks on healthcare facilities, a trend that has drawn international scrutiny and condemnation.

A month earlier, on March 2, the Gandhi Hospital in Tehran also faced damage during an attack targeting a nearby television communications tower. Though no confirmed injuries were reported at the hospital itself, the incident underscored the precariousness of medical institutions in areas where violence escalates without warning. Such events have prompted questions about the enforcement of international humanitarian law, which explicitly prohibits attacks on healthcare facilities.

International humanitarian law, as outlined by the International Committee of the Red Cross, mandates that hospitals, medical personnel, and ambulances be protected during conflicts. This principle was reinforced in 2016 with the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2286, which unanimously condemned attacks on healthcare and urged nations to uphold these protections. However, the World Health Organization's Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA) revealed a troubling escalation in recent years. In 2025 alone, 1,348 attacks on medical facilities worldwide resulted in 1,981 fatalities, with Sudan and Myanmar bearing the heaviest toll. This marked a sharp increase from 2024, when 944 individuals—patients and medical staff—were killed in similar incidents.

Beyond Iran, Israel has faced accusations of targeting healthcare infrastructure in multiple regions. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have left a devastating mark on the country's medical system. According to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health, within a month of its latest military campaign, 53 medical workers were killed, 87 ambulances and medical centers destroyed, and five hospitals forced to close. Luna Hammad, the Lebanon medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), described the situation as a "documented pattern of attacks affecting healthcare," with blanket evacuation orders and targeted strikes severing access to life-saving care.

In Gaza, Israel's military operations have repeatedly drawn global condemnation for their impact on medical facilities. During its prolonged conflict in the region, Israel has been accused of deliberately targeting hospitals and ambulances. In October 2023, an Israeli strike on al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza killed hundreds of people sheltering in its parking lot, a tragedy Israel attributed to a misfired rocket from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a claim the group denied. Later that year, in March 2024, Israeli forces claimed to have killed 90 people during a raid on al-Shifa Hospital, where displaced Palestinians faced detention and abuse.

The situation worsened in December 2024 when Israeli troops arrested Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, after he refused to comply with orders to abandon the facility. This arrest followed a raid that killed approximately 20 Palestinians and detained 240 others inside the hospital, marking one of the largest military operations in the territory at the time. Most recently, in March 2025, Israeli forces reportedly killed 15 Palestinian medics affiliated with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) while they were conducting a rescue mission in Rafah's Tal as-Sultan neighborhood, an incident that occurred inside clearly marked ambulances.

These incidents highlight a persistent challenge: the enforcement of international law in regions where conflict persists. While resolutions and humanitarian principles exist, their application remains inconsistent, often leaving healthcare workers and facilities in the crosshairs of violence. As global health organizations and advocacy groups continue to document these attacks, the question of accountability—both for states and non-state actors—grows ever more urgent.