UN warns of toxic rain danger from oil depot strikes in Mideast

UN humanitarians said on Tuesday that 10 days of war in the Middle East are upending lives across the region and beyond, with toxic "black rain" linked to strikes on oil depots, and disruption to humanitarian supply chains causing widespread impacts.



Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, raised concerns about the health and environmental impacts of Israeli and U.S. strikes on oil depots in Iran as toxic pollutants spread in the air.



She said that these impacts raise "serious questions as to whether the proportionality and precaution obligations under international humanitarian law were met" in the attacks, stressing that the sites hit "do not appear to be of military exclusive usage."



Christian Lindmeier, the World Health Organization spokesperson, warned that the "black rain" and "acidic rain" that have been falling in Tehran after the strikes are "indeed a danger" for Iranians.



"We are in touch with the hospitals and with the authorities, and the Iranian authorities have issued an alert advising people to stay indoors, in light of the attacks on oil warehouses especially," he said.