3.2 Million Iranians Displaced by US-Israel Strikes

At the Kapikoy border crossing in eastern Turkey, Iranian hairdresser Merve Pourkaz waited recently after fleeing her home in Golestan, where bombs had exploded nearby. The 32-year-old had journeyed about 1,500 kilometers over rugged terrain, hoping to find refuge in the nearby city of Van. "If they let me, I will stay in Van until the war ends," she told reporters. "If the war doesn't end, maybe I'll go back and die."

Pourkaz represents a fraction of the 3.2 million Iranians displaced since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran more than two weeks ago, according to estimates from the United Nations refugee agency. The conflict began on February 28, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced the strikes and urged civilians to shelter in place. "Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere," he said at the time. While some displaced people have moved to safer areas within Iran or to neighboring countries, others are returning from abroad to safeguard their families and properties. United Nations data shows only about 1,300 Iranians crossing into Turkey daily since the war started, with more...