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Trump’s Threats of Targeting Water Plants in Iran, a Potential War Crime, Alarm Gulf Allies
Trump said the U.S. could destroy power plants, oil wells and desalination facilities if Iran does not reach a deal soon.
- On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to broaden the offensive against Iran by "completely obliterating" energy infrastructure, potentially including desalination plants, if a deal is not reached "shortly."
- Trump has previously threatened to "hit and obliterate" Iranian power plants despite the Geneva Conventions defining drinking water installations as illegal military targets under international law.
- Gulf countries, relying on desalination for nearly all drinking water, reiterated "grave concerns" to the Trump administration about striking civilian infrastructure and risking intensifying tit-for-tat escalation.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the military will "always act within the confines of the law," though legal experts warn such attacks could constitute war crimes.
- While Trump claims "great progress is being made" in talks, he continues warning of widespread destruction if Iranian officials do not reopen the Strait of Hormuz immediately.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Trump’s threats of targeting water plants in Iran, a potential war crime, alarm Gulf allies
After President Donald Trump floated on Monday the possibility of expanding the Iran war by potentially striking water treatment plants in Iran, some Gulf countries reiterated grave concerns to the Trump administration about any strikes on civilian infrastructure and the risk of an intensifying tit-for-tat escalation, according to four regional sources.
US, Iran expand targets to water infrastructure
US President Donald Trump threatened Iran’s water infrastructure while Tehran struck a Kuwaiti desalination plant and fully laden oil tanker off the Arab nation’s coast, further expanding the war beyond military targets. Gulf nations are highly reliant on desalination for fresh water, and damage to the region’s hundreds of plants could render its major cities unlivable, The Associated Press reported; attacks by any side could constitute war crim…
Published on: 31.03.2026 06:00Author: Christian SchwägerlIn the Persian Gulf, desalination plants become the focus of the conflict. Attacks could hit millions of people existentially. Security experts are alarmed.
Trump’s planning war crimes
Donald Trump has signalled his intention to attack Iran’s civilian infrastructure, power stations and desalination plants, and that is a war crime under international law. The law is unambiguous: military gain does not justify targeting civilian populations and the infrastructure they depend upon, and pre-announcing an attack does not reduce culpability. This is the reality of the Iran war that the world urgently needs to confront. The United St…
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