This chapter examines the devastating impact of the Gulf War and subsequent economic sanctions of the 1990s on Iraq’s healthcare system, arguing that the sanctions imposed can be understood as a form of silent warfare, causing long-term suffering and systemic collapse. The sanctions, aimed at compelling Iraq’s compliance with international demands, disrupted the country’s vital infrastructure, leading to widespread shortages of medical supplies, a mass exodus of healthcare professionals, and deteriorating public health. As hospitals faced chronic shortages, doctors were forced to adopt unorthodox medical practices, which, though necessary at the time, contributed to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the entrenchment of chronic health issues. The chapter underscores the ecological consequences of sanctions, with a focus on how this induced an ongoing public health crisis, not only within Iraq but across the broader region. It further explores the long-lasting effects of these adaptations on medical practices, such as improvisation in wound care and antibiotic use, which fostered conditions for the spread of resistant infections. By tracing the enduring repercussions of the sanctions, the chapter advocates for a rethinking of sanctions as a form of warfare that has far-reaching, long- lasting consequences for healthcare systems, particularly in conflict zones.