Tedros said the global health body had verified that the victims included doctors, paramedics, and nurses working at the facility. In a statement posted on X, he described the incident as a “tragic development” amid the rapidly intensifying crisis in the Middle East.

According to the WHO chief, the deaths followed another attack earlier in the day in the southern Lebanese village of Al Sowana, where two paramedics were killed when a health facility came under fire. The combined toll brought the number of health workers killed within 24 hours to 14.

The strikes come as Israel continues an extensive aerial campaign targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah across southern Lebanon.

The bombardment campaign, which Israel says aims to curb Hezbollah’s military capabilities, has already resulted in significant casualties and widespread displacement.

Lebanese authorities and humanitarian agencies report that more than 770 people have been killed since the escalation began, while hundreds of thousands have fled their homes amid the growing violence.

Hezbollah has responded by launching hundreds of rockets toward northern Israel, triggering air defense responses and raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

International organizations have repeatedly warned that attacks on healthcare facilities and medical personnel violate international humanitarian law and further deepen the humanitarian crisis in conflict zones.

WHO has called for the protection of health workers and medical infrastructure, urging all parties to respect international law and ensure safe access to healthcare for civilians caught in the crossfire.

The U.N. health agency said it had received multiple reports this week of oil-contaminated rainfall after attacks on energy infrastructure triggered large fires and heavy smoke over the capital, Tehran.

Thick black smoke engulfed parts of Tehran on Monday after an oil refinery was hit in an escalation of strikes targeting Iran’s domestic energy supplies amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign.

“Black rain and the acidic rain coming with it is indeed a danger for the population, respiratory mainly,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters during a briefing in Geneva.

He said Iranian authorities had advised residents to remain indoors due to deteriorating air quality conditions.

Asked whether the WHO supported the recommendation, Lindmeier said the guidance was appropriate given the environmental risks linked to damaged oil infrastructure.

“Given what is at risk right now, the oil storage facilities, the refineries that have been struck, triggering fires and bringing serious air quality concerns, that is definitely a good idea,” he said.

The WHO maintains an office in Iran and works with local authorities to coordinate responses to health emergencies.

A video shared with Reuters by a WHO staff member showed a cleaner mopping up a black liquid at the entrance of the organization’s office in Tehran on March 8, which the staff member said was residue from the reported oil-laden rainfall.

The agency said it continues to monitor the situation and maintain contact with Iranian health authorities as reports of environmental fallout from the refinery strike emerge.