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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

List Of Conflicts In The Middle East

This is a list of modern conflicts in the Middle East ensuing in the geographic and political region known as the Middle East. The "Middle East" is traditionally defined as the Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia), Levant, and Egypt and neighboring areas of Arabia, Anatolia and Iran. It currently encompasses the area from Egypt, Turkey and Cyprus in the west to Iran and the Persian Gulf in the east, and from Turkey and Iran in the north, to Yemen and Oman in the south.

  • Conflicts are separate incidents with at least 100 casualties, and are listed by total deaths, including sub-conflicts.
  • The term "modern" refers to the First World War and later period, in other words, since 1914.

List of conflicts

Date Conflict Location Casualties
1902–1932 Unification of Saudi Arabia Riyadh
Hejaz
Kuwait
Nejd
Jordan Transjordan
Iraq Mandatory Iraq
Nejd and Hejaz
8,000–9,000
1909–1910 Zaraniq rebellion  Ottoman Empire 830+
1914–1918 Middle Eastern theatre of World War I  Ottoman Empire
Persia
Egypt

Nejd and Hasa
Jabal Shammar
Kuwait
Lahej
Armenia
Azerbaijan

Ottoman Empire deaths including civilians:
2,825,000–5,000,000
Allied killed, wounded, captured or missing:
1,000,000–1,500,000
Persians died by famine or disease, excluding influenza:
2,000,000
1918–1922 Simko Shikak revolt Persia 1,000–5,500
1919 Egyptian Revolution of 1919 Egypt 3,000
1919–1923 Turkish War of Independence  Ottoman Empire
 Greece
 Armenia
 Soviet Union
170,500–873,000
1919–2003 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict Iraq Mandatory Iraq
Iraq Kingdom of Iraq
Iraq Iraq
Kingdom of Kurdistan
139,000–320,000 killed
1920 Franco-Syrian War Arab Kingdom of Syria
OETA
5,000
1920 Iraqi revolt against the British Iraq Mandatory Iraq 2,050–9,000
1921–1948 Sectarian conflict in Mandatory Palestine  Mandatory Palestine 7,813
1923 Adwan Rebellion Jordan Transjordan 100
1925–1927 Great Syrian Revolt (Druze War) Greater Lebanon
State of Syria
Jabal Druze
Alawite State
8,000–12,000
1925 Sheikh Said rebellion  Turkey 15,000–250,500
1930 Ararat rebellion  Turkey

Republic of Ararat

4,500–47,000
1933 Simele massacre  Kingdom of Iraq 3,000
1934 Saudi-Yemeni War  Saudi Arabia
 Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen
2,100
1935 Imam Reza shrine rebellion  Iran 151
1935–1936 1935–1936 Iraqi Shia revolts  Iraq 500
1935 1935 Yazidi revolt  Iraq 200
1936 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine
1937 Dersim rebellion  Turkey 40,000–70,000
1939–1945 Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II  Iraq
Iran Iran
French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon
 Mandatory Palestine
≈16,000
1946 Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine
1946 Egyptian Student Riots Egypt Egypt 100–300
1946 Iran crisis of 1946  Iran
 Republic of Mahabad
Azerbaijan People's Government
2,000
1948– Arab–Israeli conflict Egypt Egypt
All-Palestine Government
 Egypt
 United Arab Republic
 Syrian Republic
 Ba'athist Syria
 Jordan
 Lebanon
 Israel
 Palestinian Authority
73,000–84,000
1948 Alwaziri coup Yemen Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen 4,000–5,000
1948 Al-Wathbah uprising  Iraq 300–400
1952 Egyptian revolution of 1952 Egypt Egypt 1,000
1953 1953 Iranian coup d'état  Iran 300–800
1954–1960 Jebel Akhdar War Muscat and Oman 100–523
1955–1959 Cyprus Emergency  Cyprus 400–600
1956 Suez Crisis
1956–1960 Yemeni–Adenese clan violence  Aden 1,000
1958 1958 Lebanon Crisis  Lebanon 1,300–4,000
1958 1958 Iraqi Revolution  Arab Federation 100
1959 1959 Mosul uprising Iraq Iraqi Republic 2,000–4,000
1962–1970 North Yemen Civil War  North Yemen
 Saudi Arabia
 Egypt
100,000–200,000
1962–1975 Dhofar Rebellion  Oman 10,000
1963 1963 Riots in Iran  Iran 100
1963 February 1963 Ba'athist Iraqi coup  Iraq 1,000
1963 8th of March Syrian Revolution  United Arab Republic
 Syria
820
1963–1967 Aden Emergency  Federation of South Arabia
 South Yemen
2,096
1963 November 1963 Iraqi coup  Iraq 250
1964 1964 Hama riot  Syria 70–100
1966 1966 neo-Ba'athist coup d'état in Syria  Syria 400
1966 1966 Arif Abd ar-Razzaq second coup  Iraq 80–100
1970–1971 Black September  Jordan 2,000–25,000
1972 Yemenite War of 1972  South Yemen  North Yemen 100+
1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus  Cyprus 1,500–5,000
1974 Shatt al-Arab clashes  Iran 1,000
1975–1990 Lebanese Civil War  Lebanon 150,000
1976–1980 Political violence in Turkey (1976–1980)  Turkey 5,000–5,388
1978–1982 NDF Rebellion  North Yemen 100+
1978– Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present)  Turkey
 Iraqi Kurdistan
 Iraq
30,000–100,000
1979 Yemenite War of 1979  South Yemen  North Yemen 1,000+
1979 Iranian Revolution  Iran 3,164–60,000
1979–1980 Consolidation of the Iranian Revolution  Iran 10,171
1979–1983 Saudi Eastern Province unrest  Saudi Arabia 182–219
1979 Grand Mosque seizure  Saudi Arabia 307
1979–1982 Islamist uprising in Syria  Syria 40,000+
1980 1980 Turkish coup d'état  Turkey 127–550
1980 1980 Sadr uprising  Iraq 1,000–30,000
1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War  Iran
 Iraq
 Kuwait
1,000,000–1,250,000
1986 South Yemen Civil War  South Yemen 5,000–12,000
1986 1986 Egyptian Conscription Riot  Egypt 107
1986 1986 Damascus bombings  Syria 204
1987 Iranian pilgrim riot (Mecca massacre)  Saudi Arabia 402
1987–1988 ANO Executions  Lebanon
 Syria
170
1989–1996 KDPI insurgency (1989–1996)  Iran 168–503
1990–1991 Gulf War  Iraq
 Kuwait
 Saudi Arabia
40,000–57,000
1991 1991 Iraqi uprisings  Iraq 50,000–100,000
1994 1994 civil war in Yemen  Yemen 7,000–10,000
1995– Islamic Insurgency in Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia 300
1998 Operation Desert Fox (Iraqi no-fly zones)  Iraq 2,000
1999 1999 Shia uprising in Iraq  Iraq 100–200
2003–2011 Iraq War Iraq Ba'athist Iraq
Iraq Iraq
109,032–650,726
See also: Casualties of the Iraq War
2004 Qamishli massacre (2004)  Syria 30–100
2004–2014 Shia insurgency in Yemen  Saudi Arabia
 Yemen
8,500–25,000
2004– Iran–PJAK conflict  Iran 588–747
2006– Fatah–Hamas conflict  Palestinian Authority
Gaza Strip
600+
2006 2006 Lebanon War
 Israel
≈1600
2006– Iran–Israel proxy conflict  Iran
 Israel
≈2000
2007 Nahr al-Bared fighting  Lebanon 480
2008 2008 Lebanon conflict  Lebanon 105
2009–2015 South Yemen Insurgency  Yemen 2,100+
2010–2015 Yemeni al-Qaeda crackdown  Yemen 3,000+
2011 2011 Bahraini uprising  Bahrain
 Saudi Arabia
100+
2011– Shia insurgency in Bahrain  Bahrain 22+
2011–2014 Egyptian crisis (2011–14)  Egypt 7,000+
2011– Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)  Yemen 9,000+
2011– Syrian Civil War  Syria 503,064–613,407 +
2011–2017 Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon  Lebanon ≈800
2011– Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict  Saudi Arabia
 Iran
2013–2017 War in Iraq (2013–2017)  Iraq 155,500–165,500+
2015– Yemeni Civil War  Yemen
 Saudi Arabia
 United Arab Emirates
377,000+
2016– Western Iran clashes  Iran 74–156
15–16 July 2016 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt  Turkey 270–350
2017 2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict  Iraq +305
2017– Iraqi insurgency (2017–present)  Iraq 4,000+
2023– Israel–Hamas war  Israel
 West Bank
Gaza Strip
34,000+
2023– Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)  Israel
 Lebanon
400+
2023– Red Sea crisis  Yemen
 Israel
Red Sea
Gulf of Aden
40+
2024– 2024 Iran–Israel conflict  Iran
 Israel
 Jordan
 Syria
 Iraq
 Yemen
 Lebanon
20+

Casualties breakdown

[a].^ Unification of Saudi Arabia (combined casualties 7,989–8,989+)

Battle of Riyadh (1902) – 37 killed.
Battle of Dilam (1903) – 410 killed.
Saudi–Rashidi War (1903–1907) – 2,300+ killed.
Annexation of Al-Hasa and Qatif (1913) – unknown.
Battle of Jarrab (1915) – unknown.
Battle of Kanzaan (1915) – unknown.
First Nejd–Hejaz War, 1918–1919 – 8,392+ killed
Kuwait–Najd War (1921) – 200–800 killed.
1921 Ikhwan raid on Iraq – 700 killed.
Conquest of Ha'il – unknown.
Ikhwan raids on Transjordan 1922–1924 – 500-1,500 killed.
Second Nejd–Hejaz War (1924–1925) – 450 killed.
Ikhwan Revolt (1927–1930) – 2,000 killed.

[p].^ Middle Eastern theatre of World War I (combined casualty figure 2,825,000–5,000,000) of:

[b].^ Turkish War of Independence (combined figure 170,500–873,000+):

Greco-Turkish War – 70,000–400,000 casualties
Franco-Turkish War – 40,000 casualties.
Turkish–Armenian War – 60,000–432,500 casualties.
Koçkiri Rebellion – 500 killed.
Revolt of Ahmet Anzavur – unknown.
Kuva-i Inzibatiye revolt – unknown.

[c].^ Iraqi–Kurdish conflict (combined casualty figure 138,800–320,100) of:

Mahmud Barzanji revolts – unknown.
Ahmad Barzanji revolt (1931) – unknown.
1943 Iraqi Kurdish revolt (1943) – unknown.
First Iraqi–Kurdish War (1961–1970) – 75,000–105,000 killed.
Second Iraqi–Kurdish War (1974–1975) – 9,000 killed.
600,000 displaced
PUK insurgency (1976–1978) – 800 killed.
Iraqi Kurdish uprising (1982–1988) – 50,000–198,000 killed.
1991 Uprising in As Sulaymaniyah – 700–2,000 killed.
Iraqi Kurdish Civil War (1994–1997) – 3,000–5,000 killed.
2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq – several hundred killed (≈300) on the Kurdish front, at least 24 Peshmerga soldiers killed.

[d].^ Middle Eastern theatre of World War II (combined casualty figure 12,338–14,898+) of:

Anglo-Iraqi War – at least 560 killed.
Farhud 175–780 killed.
Syria–Lebanon Campaign 10,404–12,964 killed.
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran 100 – 1,062 killed.
Bombing of Palestine in World War II 137 deaths.
Bombing of Bahrain in World War II – unknown.

[e].^ Iran crisis of 1946 (combined casualty figure 1,921+):

Azerbaijan People's Republic crisis – 421 killed.
Republic of Mahabad crisis – ≈1,000 killed.
Civil interregnum – 500 killed.

[f].^ Arab–Israeli conflict (combined casualty figure 76,338–87,338+):

Arab–Israeli War (1948–1949) – 14,400 casualties.
Palestinian Fedayeen insurgency and Retribution operations (1950s) – 3,456 casualties
Suez War (1956) – 3,203 killed.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict (1965–present) – 24,000 killed
Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon – 2,600–20,000 killed
Operation Litani
1982 Lebanon War
First Palestinian Intifada – 2,000 killed
Al-Aqsa Intifada – 7,000 killed
Gaza–Israel conflict – 3,500+ killed
Six-Day War (1967) – 13,976 killed.
War of Attrition (1967–1970) – 6,403 killed.
Yom Kippur War (1973) 10,000–21,000.

[g].^ North Yemen Civil War (combined 100,000–200,000 casualties):

1962 Coup d'état
Ramadan offensive
Haradh offensive
1965 Royalist offensive
Siege of Sana'a (1967)

[h].^ Lebanese Civil War (combined 39,132–43,970+ mortal casualties):

Bus massacre – 27 killed.
Hundred Days' War – 160 killed.
Karantina massacre – 1,000–1,500 killed.
Damour massacre – 684 killed.
Battle of the Hotels – 700 killed.
Black Saturday (Lebanon) – 200–600 killed.
Tel al-Zaatar massacre – 1,778–3,278 killed.
1982 Lebanon War – 28,280 killed.
Sabra and Shatila massacre – 762–3,500 killed.
War of the Camps (1986–1987) – 3,781 killed.
Mountain War – 1,600 killed.
War of Liberation (1989–1990) – unknown.
October 13 massacre – 500–700 killed, 260 civilians massacred.

[i].^ Consolidation of the Iranian Revolution (combined fatalities count 12,000):

1979 Kurdish rebellion in Iran – 10,171+ killed and executed.
1979 Khuzestan uprising – 112+ killed.
1979 Khorasan uprising – unknown.
1979 Azeri uprising – unknown.
1979 Baluchistan uprising – 50 killed.
Iran hostage crisis – 9 killed.
1979–1980 Tehran clashes – unknown.

[j].^ Iran–Iraq War (combined death count 645,000–823,000+):

Iraqi invasion 1980
Mujahedin al-Halq uprising 1981–1982
Liberation of Khorramshahr 1982 – 17,000 killed
Operation Undeniable Victory 1982 – 50,000 mortal casualties
Operation Ramadan 1982 – 80,000 killed
Kurdish Rebellion 1983–1988 (including the Al-Anfal Campaign) 50,000–198,000 killed
Operation Before the Dawn 1983 – 6,000+ killed
Operation Dawn 3 – 162,000 killed
Operation Dawn 5 1984 – 50,000 killed
Operation Dawn 6 1984 – unknown
Operation Khaibar 1984 – 49,000 killed
Tanker War 1984
Operation Badr (1985) – 30,000–32,000
War of the Cities 1985–1987
Operation Dawn-8 1986 – unknown
Operation Karbala-4 1986 – 15,000 killed
Operation Karbala-5 – 85,000 killed
Operation Nasr 4 – unknown
Operation Karbala-10 – unknown
Operation Mersad 1987 – 4,900 killed
1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners 2,000 – 30,000 executed

[k].^ Iraq War 2003–2011 (combined casualty figure of 192,361–226,056+):

2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq – 35,000 killed
Iraqi insurgency (2003–06) – 15,000 killed
Civil war in Iraq 2006–2008 – 30,000–40,000 killed
Iraqi insurgency (2008–2011) – 5,000–10,000 killed
Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq – ≈1,000 killed
Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal) – 54,000+ killed
Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) – 53,361–72,056 killed

[l].^ Sectarian conflict in Mandatory Palestine (combined casualties 7,813)

1921 Jaffa riots – 95 killed
1929 Palestine riots – 251 killed.
1933 Palestine riots – 20 killed.
Arab Revolt in Palestine – 5,000 killed.
Jewish insurgency in Palestine (1944–47) – 338 British and around 100 Palestinian Jews killed.
1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine – 2,009 killed by 1 April 1948.

[m].^ Egyptian Crisis (combined casualties 5,000+)

Egyptian Revolution of 2011 – 846 killed
Sinai insurgency – 2,800+ killed

[n].^ Syrian Civil War (combined casualties 503,064–613,407)

[o].^ Iran–Israel proxy conflict (combined casualties ≈2,000)

See also