Following a period of tension said to have paused with a ceasefire, one of the fiercest clashes between the US and Iran occurred overnight. The US struck several targets in Iran in retaliation for the downing of an Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military announced that communication and radar facilities were targeted in the attacks. Iranian officials, however, stated that civilian infrastructure was also damaged, including two water reservoirs.
Extent of the attack
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards reported that the locations hit included Sirik, Jask, Minab, Kish Island, and the port of Bandar Abbas. The same statement noted severe damage to a telecommunications tower in the city of Sirik.
The Iran-based WANA news agency reported that two concrete water tanks in the Bamani area of Sirik district in Hormozgan province were targeted in the attack. These tanks supply drinking water to the city of Kouhestak and 10 surrounding villages.
Iran also announced retaliatory strikes on US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. This exchange of attacks marked the sharpest escalation since the ceasefire period began.
Growing debate amid the water crisis
The report highlights that the attack coincided with an already deepening water scarcity in Iran. The country has been under severe pressure on its water resources due to prolonged drought, low rainfall, poor agricultural practices, and management issues.
According to the World Resources Institute, Iran’s water stress level is "extremely high," meaning the country uses more than 80% of its renewable water resources in a typical year.
Last year marked the fifth consecutive year of drought for Iran. In November 2025, the capacity of the Amir Kabir Dam in Tehran was only 8% full, and 19 major dams across the country had dried up.
Water infrastructure in international law
Water networks and drinking water facilities are considered civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law. Therefore, they are not legitimate targets in warfare.
The Berlin Rules on Water Resources prohibit states at war from destroying water facilities if it would cause disproportionate suffering to civilians. Isa Bozorgzadeh, a spokesperson for Iran’s water sector, called the attack a war crime.
Washington described the strike as "legitimate self-defense" and a "proportional response" to the helicopter downing in the Strait of Hormuz. The official investigation into how the helicopter was downed has not yet concluded.
US President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that the helicopter was shot down by Iran and noted that both pilots survived. Iran denied this accusation.
