WHO chief warns of nuclear risk as Middle East conflict escalates

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned of rising nuclear risks amid strikes near key sites in Iran and Israel. He urged restraint and de-escalation, while US President Donald Trump escalated tensions with a warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz

New Delhi: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Sunday said the war in the Middle East has reached a perilous stage with strikes reportedly hitting the Natanz Enrichment Complex in Iran, and the Israeli city of Dimona, where a nuclear facility is located.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is looking into incidents reported in southeastern Iran, and in Israel’s city of Dimona.

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“No indications of abnormal or increased off-site radiation levels have been reported. Attacks targeting nuclear sites create an escalating threat to public health and environmental safety,” Ghebreyesus posted on X.

Since the outbreak of hostilities, WHO has provided critical training to its own staff and UN personnel across 13 countries to help them respond effectively to public health threats in the event of a nuclear incident.

“I urgently call on all parties to exercise maximum military restraint and avoid any actions that could trigger nuclear incidents. Leaders must prioritise de-escalation and protect civilians. Peace is the best medicine,” said the WHO chief.

He further stated that war doesn’t bring peace.

“It just teaches the next generation new reasons to hate,” he added.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has threatened to “hit and obliterate” Iran’s power plants within 48 hours if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even as he said Washington was close to meeting its military objectives in the conflict.

In a series of posts, Trump issued a direct ultimatum over the strategic waterway, saying: “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS… the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”

The warning marks a sharp escalation centred on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route, even as Trump signalled that US military operations could soon wind down.

He said the US had also moved to dismantle Iran’s military strength, including “eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti-Aircraft Weaponry.”