Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants
Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants
Tehran has declared it will “irreversibly destroy” crucial infrastructure across the Middle East, including vital water systems, in response to Donald Trump’s promise to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants. The warning came as Iranian missiles targeted two southern Israeli cities overnight, injuring dozens, and as Tehran deployed long-range missiles for the first time, signaling a possible escalation of the conflict now in its fourth week. The strikes have disrupted essential services for millions, raising concerns about the broader impact of the war.
The Iranian parliament’s speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated on Sunday that infrastructure vital to energy and desalination would be deemed a legitimate target. “If our own systems are attacked, we will not hesitate to dismantle theirs,” he asserted. Amnesty International highlighted the risk of such actions violating international law, warning that attacks on electricity, heating, and water systems could qualify as war crimes due to their potential to cause massive civilian casualties.
“There is a substantial risk that targeting infrastructure providing essential services could breach international law,” said Amnesty International. “In some cases, these actions might amount to war crimes.”
Iran’s military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, announced it would strike “all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure” belonging to the US and Israel. The statement added that if the strait of Hormuz remained closed after Trump’s threat, it would stay shut until Iranian power plants were rebuilt. President Masoud Pezeshkian called the US-Israel attacks a “history-making” effort, claiming they had “only strengthened Iranian unity”.
The US president issued a 48-hour ultimatum, giving Iran until shortly before midnight GMT on Monday to open the strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its power plants. “We will hit and obliterate Iranian power plants, starting with the biggest one first,” Trump said. His ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, defended the threat, noting that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) controlled much of the country’s infrastructure and used it for military purposes.
Iran’s representative to the International Maritime Organisation, Ali Mousavi, stated the strait was accessible to all ships except those linked to “Iran’s enemies.” However, Iranian actions have effectively blocked the narrow passage, which transports roughly a fifth of global oil and gas. Only a small fraction of vessels—about 5% of prewar levels—have been permitted to pass, primarily from allied countries like China, India, and Pakistan.
Lebanon became involved after Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel. Air-raid alarms rang across the country on Sunday morning, following overnight strikes on Arad and Dimona, the nearest towns to Israel’s nuclear facility. The Israeli military confirmed it could not intercept the missiles. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to pursue “senior IRGC commanders” after visiting Arad, where patients were evacuated from Imam Ali hospital following a strike the day prior.