US Strikes Damage Iranian Drinking Water Reservoir Near Strait of Hormuz
The United States conducted multiple rounds of airstrikes on Iran this week, including precision strikes near the Strait of Hormuz that damaged a drinking water reservoir serving 20,000 people, as part of an ongoing conflict that has damaged over 50 Iranian military sites since February amid Iran strikes that have escalated regional tensions.
Latest US Strikes on Iranian Targets
The latest US strikes on Wednesday and Thursday targeted military surveillance, communication systems, air defense sites, a manufacturing complex, barracks, and a Guard base, following the downing or crash of a US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. [4] US Central Command said its latest round of airstrikes ended just before sunrise Thursday in Iran and came in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression. [4] The strikes were carried out by the US Air Force, Marines and Navy, with explosions echoing around Iran's capital Tehran as well as the port city of Bandar Abbas and other southern areas along the Strait of Hormuz. [4] Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard later said sites hit by the Americans included a manufacturing complex, a military barracks and a local Guard base outside of Tehran. [4] The US began striking Iran on Tuesday following the downing of a US Apache helicopter. [1] CENTCOM confirmed to CBS News that it is aware and looking into the reports of damage to a drinking water facility. [1] The American attack appeared more intense and wider than the day before, but Iran released little information on the extent of the damage. [4] Kuwait closed its airspace for several hours because of the Thursday morning attack, but did not elaborate on any damage. [4]
Damage to Iranian Military Infrastructure
US airstrikes damaged an Iranian military base near the Strait of Hormuz. — Source: gdelt
Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify shows damage to 51 Iranian military locations including over 10 airbases where at least 30 aircraft were destroyed, naval facilities at Bandar Abbas, and IRGC headquarters. [2] On the basis of earlier images from Planet Labs and other international sources BBC Verify recorded damage at 51 military locations across Iran, and the analysis is described as probably only a partial assessment. [2] Private intelligence company Janes estimates that Iran has a total of 197 military and IRGC bases. [2] Satellite images show that runways and aircraft were hit at more than ten locations, which experts said helped the US establish complete control over Iranian airspace. [2] At Mehrabad international airport at least 17 aircraft were destroyed in the military section of the facility, while at Shiraz air base between 2 and 17 April at least 13 aircraft were hit. [2] According to satellite images, several ships and buildings were damaged during attacks on the headquarters of the Iranian navy at Bandar Abbas in the first days, where General Alireza Tangsiri was killed at the end of March. [2] Experts told BBC Verify that Tehran, despite extreme strikes on the Iranian navy and air force, still has the capacity to inflict damage on the US and its regional allies. [2] Iranian strikes on at least 20 US bases and facilities in eight countries in the region damaged air defense systems and refueling aircraft, according to BBC analysis. [2] Some images reviewed by BBC Verify suggest that Tehran is using a fragile truce to repair tunnel entrances at at least four of its bases. [2] Targets of the attacks were also internal security forces, complexes and IRGC bases belonging to the Basij paramilitary unit. [2]
Iranian Retaliation and Regional Attacks
Iran responded with missile strikes on US-related targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, causing limited damage including to an 11-year-old girl in Bahrain from debris and no injuries in Jordan. [4] Jordan said it intercepted 20 Iranian missiles fired toward an area that is home to an air base hosting US troops, though no one was hurt. [4] In Bahrain the Interior Ministry said an 11-year-old girl had been hurt and cars and homes were damaged by falling debris from interceptions responding to the Iranian attack. [4] The third back-and-forth strikes this week have tested a two-month shaky ceasefire. [4] The first were attacks between Iran and Israel on Sunday into Monday, followed by the two rounds of fire between America and Tehran. [4] Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. [5] Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency reported there were no injuries. [5] Bahrain and Kuwait said they intercepted incoming fire, without elaborating. [5] Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty in calls with his counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia and emphasised the inherent right of self-defence, including reciprocal action. [5]
Civilian Impact and Water Supply Disruption
US airstrikes damaged over 50 Iranian military sites including an IRGC headquarters. — Source: gdelt
US strikes on Wednesday damaged two concrete water-storage reservoirs in the Bamani district near the Strait of Hormuz, cutting water to about 20,000 residents, with fragments consistent with a US-made GBU-39 bomb. [1] Iranian media posted images showing a damaged reservoir that provided drinking water to around 20,000 people, alongside images of fragments appearing to belong to a US-made bomb. [1] Mehr had cited a local official claiming that water was cut off to about 20,000 residents of nearby towns and villages due to the strikes. [1] The photo posted by Mehr appeared to show the components of a GBU-39 series bomb, a precision-guided munition produced in the US, according to CNN, citing munitions experts Trevor Ball and N.R. Jenzen-Jones. [1] Ball added that the reservoir's remote location makes an error very unlikely, stating the munition precisely hit this building, which is in a fairly remote area. [1] A commercial satellite image taken on the morning of June 9 shows structures consistent with those described by Abdul Hamid Hamzehpour, the head of the provincial water authority, according to a Wednesday New York Times report. [1] Two concrete water-storage reservoirs with a combined capacity of 2,500 cubic meters in the Bamani district were struck by missiles and completely taken out of service, Mehr quoted Hamzehpour as saying. [1] It is still unclear whether the US strikes were intentionally aimed at the facilities, NYT reported, adding that if deliberate, the attack could constitute a war crime under international law. [1] Over 1,700 civilians have been killed since the conflict began on February 28, according to HRANA. [2]
Strait of Hormuz Developments and Economic Effects
Over 1,700 civilians have been killed since the conflict began on February 28, according to HRANA, while oil prices have risen over 25% above $93 per barrel amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. [4] The international benchmark for crude oil traded above USD 93 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25 per cent since the start of the war. [4] Trump said the US military has since last month undertaken a secret mission to sneak oil shipments past Iran's forces in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that ships were slipping through at night aided by the destruction of Iranian radar equipment. [4] Trump said as a result more than 100 million barrels of oil have evaded Iran's chokehold on the strait. [4] The US Central Command on Wednesday disputed Iran's claims that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, saying commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out. [4] The US Navy targeted the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello on Tuesday, with the military's Central Command accusing the Settebello of having violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran. [4] American forces fired into the ship's engine room to stop it Wednesday. [4] Since the start of the Iran war, there have been 43 attacks on international shipping in the area, the IMO said. [4] Another tanker near where the Settebello had been struck off Oman experienced an engine room fire on Thursday morning as well, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Operations centre. [4]
Diplomatic and Negotiation Context
The new US assault across multiple Iranian cities came as efforts to negotiate an end the war again appeared stuck, with Iran insisting it would maintain its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global energy supplies and sent oil prices higher. [4] Trump has urged Iran to sign a deal to end the war and suggested earlier this week that an agreement could be reached in days. [4] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also appears intent on pursuing goals that make compromise harder: the collapse of Iran's theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. [4] The US wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. [4] Iran is refusing to give up the uranium and demanding relief from sanctions. [4] It also wants the release of frozen assets even before a final agreement is in place, something Trump rejected. [4] Iran has insisted that any deal to end the war must also end fighting between its ally Hezbollah and Israel. [4] A Qatari diplomatic delegation, negotiating in coordination with the US, left Tehran on Thursday morning after holding talks, said an official with knowledge of the team who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the mediation. [4] Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in televised comments on Wednesday that, following the new attacks, Iran would review its stance on negotiations to end the war. [5] Efforts to mediate a deal continued, with a delegation from Qatar arriving in Tehran for talks on Wednesday. [5]
What to watch next: Both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict if they can manage to sell it as a win at home, while Iran has proved resilient despite weeks of heavy bombing and is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz gives it a strong bargaining chip. [4]
