NYT: US strikes damaged water facility serving 20,000 in Iran
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New York: US strikes in southern Iran damaged a drinking water facility serving more than 20,000 people near the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported on Wednesday following an investigation using satellite imagery, videos and post strike photos.
The attacks, carried out early on June 10 in the Bemani district of Hormozgan province, struck two reservoirs that supplied water to the town of Kuhestak and ten surrounding villages. Images showed one reservoir with a collapsed roof and another bearing a smaller, precision style impact. Munitions fragments recovered at the site were identified by open source researchers as parts of a GBU 39 glide bomb, a US made precision weapon, the NYT said.
Local water officials told the Financial Times the damage sharply reduced storage capacity and strained groundwater supplies. Authorities deployed mobile water tankers and crews quickly built a bypass service line, reportedly restoring access within 12 hours.
US Central Command said the operation targeted Iranian air defence systems, surveillance assets and communications infrastructure in the area and was a response to recent Iranian actions against US forces and commercial shipping. CENTCOM acknowledged reports of damage to water infrastructure but did not confirm whether the reservoirs were intended targets.
The strikes have prompted scrutiny over harm to civilian services in a region already suffering extreme summer heat, and raised questions about compliance with legal protections for civilian infrastructure.