Iran War Death Toll Surpasses 1,600 Across Region as Global Markets and Governments Brace for Energy Shock
The expanding war triggered by the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 has now killed more than 1,600 people across the Middle East, with multiple countries drawn into the conflict and governments around the world scrambling to cushion their economies from soaring energy prices and supply disruptions.
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| Representational Image Via: Ideologix on X |
Among the casualties were 175 schoolgirls and school staff killed in a missile strike on a primary school in Minab on the first day of the war.
Iranian military officials also said 104 sailors were killed when a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka last week, though those deaths were not included in the Red Crescent’s overall casualty figure.
The conflict has also caused fatalities in Israel, where authorities say two soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon after fighting with Hezbollah intensified following the group’s entry into the war in support of Iran.
Israeli emergency services have also reported 11 civilian deaths, including nine people killed in an Iranian missile strike near Beit Shemesh close to Jerusalem.
The United States has confirmed the deaths of seven service members during military operations connected to the conflict. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 394 people, including 83 children, according to the Lebanese health ministry as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalates.
Casualties have also been reported across several Gulf states hosting U.S. military facilities. In Saudi Arabia, two people were killed when a projectile struck a residential area in Al-Kharj, southeast of Riyadh. Bahrain reported one death after a fire broke out in the Salman Industrial City following missile interceptions.
Kuwait has confirmed the death of one child in Iranian attacks, while two interior ministry officers and two soldiers were killed while on duty. Elsewhere in the region, Oman reported one fatality after a projectile struck the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD VYOM off the coast of Muscat, while the United Arab Emirates said four people had been killed in attacks linked to the conflict.
Beyond the Gulf, the war has also caused deaths in neighbouring states. Syria reported four fatalities after an Iranian missile struck a building in the southern city of Sweida on the opening day of the war, while Iraq has recorded at least 15 deaths, including a commander from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-aligned militias, who was killed in an airstrike on March 5.
As the violence spreads, the economic shockwaves are also widening. Oil prices have surged sharply amid fears that the war could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies. Now, governments across Asia are already preparing emergency measures to manage the impact of rising fuel costs.
In South Korea, President Lee Jae Myung said authorities would cap domestic fuel prices for the first time in nearly three decades and expand a 100 trillion won ($67 billion) market stabilisation programme if needed. Seoul is also seeking alternative energy sources to reduce reliance on oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Japan has begun preparing for the possible release of crude from its national strategic oil reserves, with authorities instructing storage facilities to get ready in case supplies tighten further. In Vietnam, the government plans to remove import tariffs on fuel until the end of April in an effort to stabilise domestic energy supplies.
Indonesia is increasing its fuel subsidies, with the government already allocating 381.3 trillion rupiah ($22.5 billion) to compensate state energy firms and keep prices affordable for consumers. Meanwhile China has also reportedly instructed refiners to halt new export contracts for fuel and attempt to cancel existing shipments, a move aimed at preserving domestic supply during the crisis. The war’s ripple effects are also reaching South Asia, where Bangladesh has ordered all universities to close early for the Eid holidays as part of emergency steps to conserve electricity and fuel.
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