GENEVA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The escalating crisis in the Middle East has become "a major humanitarian emergency," a senior official of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said here at a regular press briefing on Friday.

Recent escalation and continued attacks in the Middle East have triggered significant population movements, while clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have forced thousands of families to flee, said Ayaki Ito, director of UNHCR's Division of Emergency and Programme Support, noting that the affected regions already host nearly 25 million refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees.

According to Ito, authorities reported that about 100,000 people left their homes in the first two days after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, but the figure is likely a significant underestimate.

He said UNHCR are working to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to affected countries across the region, and called on all parties to ensure safe passage for civilians who need to move or cross borders to seek safety. ■