US struck water infrastructure in Iran, Tehran calls it a war crime

(Patria) - Iran on Wednesday accused the United States of deliberately targeting civilian water infrastructure in the south of the country, calling the attack a war crime, with more than 20,000 people left without drinking water. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said US forces attacked water supply facilities in Sirik in Hormozgan province, Anadolu reports.

Baqaei posted on social media platform X that the attack destroyed two water tanks with a total capacity of 2,500 cubic meters. He stressed that these facilities supplied drinking water to more than 20,000 residents in ten villages in the area.

"Water is the source of life, and the US is deliberately targeting what the life of the Iranian people depends on," Baqaei wrote.

"This is not collateral damage. This is a calculated war crime and a clear violation of human rights and international humanitarian law," he added. Baqaei called for the US to be held accountable for, as he said, "systematic brutal attacks on civilian infrastructure vital for life."

Part of broader escalation in the region

The US on Wednesday carried out strikes on several targets in southern Iran after an American Apache helicopter was shot down over the Strait of Hormuz. That incident prompted Tehran's retaliation across the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

The latest escalation is a continuation of months of tensions in the region that began on February 28, when Israeli and US strikes on Iran triggered a cycle of military clashes and retaliation. Iran and Israel have exchanged attacks in recent days before pulling back, highlighting the fragility of the ceasefire and ongoing efforts by regional and international mediators to revive diplomacy and prevent a wider conflict.

The head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee warned that any new war will not be limited to the region.

"We are not afraid to fight the losers. The number of American casualties is already far higher than Trump confirms and will continue to rise. This time the war will not be limited to the region. We will see what happens!" Ebrahim Azizi wrote on X.

Iranian President called Donald Trump's suggestion that he could attack infrastructure facilities "a sign of desperation."

"Critical infrastructure is the lifeblood of a nation," said Masoud Pezeshkian.

"Threats to target it, from transport networks to the power and water sectors, are not a show of strength, but a sign of desperation in the face of the will of a nation.

Iran, relying on the knowledge and capabilities of its experts, national unity and solidarity, will firmly resist any pressure or threat."