Military strikes on water facilities in Iran may constitute a war crime, experts say
Strikes on Bemani damaged key water reservoir for 20,000 people living in area amid a historic drought in the country
TL;DR
- Military and legal experts believe strikes on two water storage facilities in southern Iran could constitute a war crime.
- The strike on Bemani, which damaged a key water reservoir for approximately 20,000 people, is under review.
- It remains unclear if the water tanks were deliberately targeted or unintentionally destroyed.
- US Central Command (Centcom) is aware of the reports and is investigating.
- The attack on water infrastructure comes during a severe drought in Iran.
- Lawmakers have expressed concern about the potential consequences of targeting water infrastructure.
- Experts identified fragments at the Bemani site as consistent with GBU-39 bombs.
- The strike on water infrastructure, if intentional, would be unprecedented in recent US military operations.
- Legal assessments for strikes require determining if the target is a lawful military objective and if civilian harm is excessive.