Is the US committing war crimes by targeting Iran’s civilian infrastructure?

US Iran war: American strikes hit Iranian power plants, water systems as civilian toll questioned

BY Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

Iranian officials said U.S. missiles damaged 12 civilian facilities across 6 provinces in overnight attacks that began late Tuesday.

The damage included power stations outside Tehran, a water treatment plant in Isfahan, and sections of Iran’s central rail network.

International law bans attacks on infrastructure essential for civilian survival. Iran’s foreign minister claimed the strikes violate Geneva Conventions that protect hospitals, water systems, and power grids during conflict.

Images from Isfahan showed a flooded control room and pumps covered in debris. Iranian state media reported 3 technicians died when a transformer exploded at a pumping station near Shiraz.

U.S. Central Command confirmed military sites were the primary targets but acknowledged “collateral effects” at nearby facilities. One statement said Iranian forces placed air defense units inside populated areas, putting civilians at risk.

The first explosions hit around 11 p.m. local time Tuesday. Power cuts followed within minutes, affecting 2 million customers. Local doctors said dialysis centers in Mashhad switched to emergency generators.

“We were treating heart patients when the lights died. Backup systems lasted four hours, then we had to evacuate the ICU.”
Dr. Leila Rahimi, cardiologist at Razavi Hospital, Mashhad

Trump ordered the strikes after Iran shot down a U.S. surveillance drone over the Gulf of Oman on Monday. The president told reporters Iran’s weapons programs posed a direct threat to American forces.

“We avoided population centers. Any civilian loss is entirely on Tehran’s decision to hide military assets among its people.”
Donald Trump, U.S. President

Iran’s envoy to the United Nations called the attacks a violation of international law and demanded an emergency Security Council meeting. The request was granted for Thursday.

Electricity outages stretched to rural areas of Fars Province, where temperatures hit 44 degrees Celsius. UNICEF warned prolonged water shutdowns could leave 700,000 children without safe drinking water.

Water treatment chemicals ran out at two plants in Khuzestan, causing officials to issue chemical-free supply warnings. Residents reported brown tap water in Sari on Wednesday morning.

Rail services between Tehran and Tabriz were diverted after signals lost power. Iranian oil ministry photos showed storage tanks punctured at a Bandar Abbas refinery.

Regional markets reacted. Oil futures surged $6 to $98 per barrel. Insurance rates for Gulf tankers climbed 15 percent.

Human Rights Watch researcher Omar Shakir told reporters satellite images show damage to civilian buildings separated from any military site. The group called for independent investigations.

“Destroying water and electricity infrastructure can be a war crime if done deliberately or without military justification.”
Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch

The international response split along Cold War lines. Russia condemned the attacks as illegal. Britain said Tehran should avoid placing military gear near civilians.

Saudi Arabia expressed support for “efforts to counter Iranian aggression in the region.” Ankara urged restraint without blaming either side.

Iranian lawmakers vowed retaliation. Photos from parliament show guards wearing black after news of the civilian deaths. Protesters burned American flags outside the old embassy compound.

Insurance brokerage Lloyds Market Association placed the Gulf war-risk zone on its highest threat level. Rates for shippers now exceed rates during the 1987 Iran-Iraq war.

Defense stocks soared. Lockheed Martin added 6 percent on heavy volume. Analysts predict more contracts for THAAD anti-missile units being deployed in Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Background

This marks the first U.S. combat strikes inside Iran since 1988, when U.S. forces sank Iranian warships during the so-called Tanker War. That conflict lasted eight years and killed hundreds on civilian vessels.

The 2015 nuclear agreement restricted Iran’s enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump exited the deal in 2018 and imposed banking sanctions that cut Iranian oil exports by 80 percent. Talks in Vienna aimed at restoring the accord collapsed last November.

What’s Next

Iran said it will present evidence of civilian damage to the U.N. late Thursday. European allies face pressure to support either U.S. claims of lawful self-defense or calls for restraint. Analysts expect retaliatory militia attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq as early as Friday.

Any confirmed targeting of civilian infrastructure could push Congress to debate limits on Trump’s war powers. For now, both capitals remain locked in threats that leave civilians along the Gulf unsure when power or water will return.