Brian Finucane

Military strikes on water storage facilities in southern Iran's Bemani district may constitute a war crime, according to experts, as the attack damaged a key reservoir for 20,000 people amid a historic drought. It remains unclear whether the strikes deliberately targeted the civilian infrastructure or were unintentional.

Military strikes on water storage facilities in Bemani, southern Iran, may constitute a war crime, according to experts analyzing media reports and visual evidence. The strike damaged a key reservoir for 20,000 people during a historic drought, with uncertainty about whether the water tanks were deliberate targets.

The Trump administration is applying similar pressure tactics against Cuba as it did with Venezuela, including oil blockades, military presence, and federal charges. However, experts note key differences that make Cuba a more difficult target, including the lack of an obvious successor leader and smaller military buildup compared to the Venezuela operation that resulted in Nicolás Maduro's capture in January.

The U.S. military, under the Trump administration, has conducted 50 boat strikes in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, killing 171 civilians and destroying 51 vessels. These actions, part of Operation Southern Spear and Operation Total Extermination, target suspected cartel members but face criticism for being illegal extrajudicial killings.

President Trump's threats to bomb Iran's civilian infrastructure have raised moral dilemmas for military officers, with legal experts warning of potential war crimes. The U.S. military's adherence to laws of war is questioned as Trump's rhetoric escalates tensions, prompting concerns about civilian casualties and international legal obligations.