UN Special Rapporteur: Israel Strikes Six Countries Since Gaza War Began

Geneva, September 2025 – Reem Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, revealed alarming details on Monday about the broader impacts of Israeli military operations since October 7, 2023. Speaking at a Geneva session on human rights, Alsalem emphasized that Israel’s aggression has extended far beyond occupied Palestine, targeting six additional countries, including Tunisia.

Alsalem highlighted that in four of these attacks, women and children bore a disproportionate share of the casualties, underscoring the severe human cost of the ongoing conflict. In Tunisia, the attacks targeted the Sumud aid flotilla bound for Gaza, demonstrating the regime’s disregard for humanitarian efforts.

The session particularly focused on Israel’s strikes against Iran. Alsalem cited warnings issued by the Israeli war ministry in June 2025, which indicated punitive intentions toward civilians, explicitly stating that residents of Tehran would “pay the price.” Reliable data presented by Alsalem confirmed that hundreds of women and girls have been killed or injured in Lebanon and Iran as a result of these attacks.

Among the tragic incidents highlighted was June 15, 2025, when several pregnant women were reportedly killed during an assault on Tehran’s Tajrish Square. Earlier, on June 13, Israel launched attacks on Iran targeting civilian, military, and nuclear facilities. The 12-day conflict resulted in over 1,000 Iranian fatalities, with the United States accused of aiding and abetting the strikes.

Alsalem concluded that these patterns of attack reflect not only widespread violations of international law but also a deliberate strategy of targeting vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. The Special Rapporteur called for immediate accountability and urgent international intervention to prevent further atrocities.