The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, has warned that the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East is triggering a dangerous chain reaction, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians.

Spoljaric called on countries to respect the rules of war and urged them to find the political will to prevent "further death and destruction."

"The military escalation in the Middle East is igniting a dangerous chain reaction, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians," Spoljaric said in a statement.

"Upholding the rules of war is an obligation, not a choice. In international armed conflicts, international humanitarian law—particularly all four Geneva Conventions—applies."

She stressed that civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, homes, and schools, must be spared, and that medical personnel and first responders should be allowed to operate safely.