Military strikes on water facilities in Iran may constitute a war crime, experts say

Military strikes damaging two water storage facilities in southern Iran could be considered a war crime, experts suggest. The assessment follows a review of media reports and visual evidence of a June 10 strike on Bemani, a district near the Strait of Hormuz.

The strike impacted a crucial water reservoir that serves around 20,000 residents in the area, which is already experiencing a severe drought. It remains unclear if the water tanks were the intended targets or if they were hit accidentally.

Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer, emphasized that the intent behind the strike is legally significant. He stated that if the tanks were the target, the situation becomes critical, as attacking civilian objects is unlawful, while military objectives are lawful. The damage to the infrastructure raises serious questions about adherence to international humanitarian law amid the ongoing conflict.

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It’s either a military objective or it’s a civilian object: attacking one is lawful, attacking the other is not.