Iranian attack hit water desalination plant in Kuwait

I did condemn the attack and stated it was a war crime (assuming Iran is guilty of course, though who else would do it?)

But at the same time i did ask you what you thought about the destruction of the Pasteur Institute and the bombing of a bridge and then bombing it again an hour later....(by the USA) just as the rescuers were in situ...

You didn't answer... so by your standards.....

Great article thanks. Going to take time to digest.

That article is clear re survival of the population. I just double checked how many desalination plants are in Kuwait, and this time I got 8. So attacking one of them that feeds a military base could be proportional if it does not threaten survival of the population?

And yes, I totally agree it is wrong to attack civilian desal plants. It's not black and white though.

And I think morally, if a military base in a desert region does not have it's own water supply, and is relieant on civilian infrastructure, then it could be argued it is using that as a shield against attack.

Complex indeed.

You are not going to get me to agree in principle using twisty logic that it’s ok to destroy desalination plants. It isn’t and that is something I feel confident most people would agree with me about.

If the US bases do not have their own to supply their needs, then in theory that could make the civilian one that supplies their bases legitimate targets.

Oh heck I suspect if you asked 10 different legal experts on Laws of Armed Conflict, the various Conventions etc for an opinion you'd get 11 different answers and then further arguments about whether exceptions apply....

https://opiniojuris.org/2026/03/31/water-under-fire-the-illegality-of-reprisals-against-desalination-plants/

So about 13.5 K US Troops in Kuwait. 100 to 150 liters per day per head. Add water for military uses, washing jets etc. That's a lot of water. About 0.8 Olympic swimming pools per day. They can't fly all that in bottled.

So where do they get all that water ? From the civilian system ?

Kuwait apparently has 7 desalination plants with a total output of 2.4 million cubic meters per day (960 Olympic pools).. If the US bases do not have their own to supply their needs, then in theory that could make the civilian one that supplies their bases legitimate targets. Would you agree with that in principle ?

If the base is a legitimate target, then is not the plant that supplies it's water? Even if made inoperable, that still leaves 6 working.

That is the aim of war. To strike the enemy and reduce their capacity to fight.

I think I know better than you what I said at the time re Israel pausing humanitarian aid for about 2 months.

Your dislike of me for generally supporting Israel is clouding your judgement so you think I never criticise Israel but I do.

Not from their own private desalination plant.

Where do the US bases get their water then ?

I remember 2 threads - re Israel blocking 35 NGOs and another about reproductive violence where the stance was definitely not pro humanitarian aid. Posters were accused of being anti semitic for simply starting the thread. (The issue was also discussed in Feminism as Juliet Stevenson had written a letter to Justine Roberts and a statement was later issued by Mumsnet in Guests in full support of aid.

I didn’t want to revisit but feel that the comment @Twiglets made was really misleading re stance on humanitarian aid for Palestinians.

What are you talking about military desalination plants?

There are no military desalination plants. The whole population needs drinking water.

It has been widely reported that US troops have been sent to hotels because of damage to military bases. I cant post a link but plenty of reports. Vacant offices are being used as well apparently. The Kuwait Foreign Minister is urging Gulf State hotels not to house US troops.

I am against destroying civilian infrastructure, and for sure it should be considered a war crime.

However, I would say Military desalination plants and infrastructure to Military bases is ok to target. And here comes a problem. Because when the troops decant from their bases to live in civilian areas, then does the infrastructure that supports them be a valid target ? It is supporting the enemy troops after all. I would say maybe, depending on how many troops. Because really, if the military bases can't support the troops, then they should withdraw to another area, and stay away from civilian areas.

It appears Israel and the US use the logic that wherever troops are billeted is a legitimate target.

So it's not really black and white. The troops are the target. And really, in my view, if the bases can't support them, then they should go camp in the countryside around. Not check into hotels.

If you're referring to me, my position has not changed.

Not about Israel stopping humanitarian aid completely for about 2 months in the war. Not about it being understandable why Israel would feel it's a security risk to not know the ID of people working for MSF, etc.

When Kuwait and Bahrain are passively allowing their territory to be used for offensive military attacks on a neighbouring country that have already killed and maimed hundreds of children, the distinction is so flimsy it's practically meaningless.

There is no excuse or justification for Iran's attack on the desalination plant - just as there is no excuse or justification for the USA and Israel bombing similar energy, fuel and civilian infrastructure sites in Iran - these attacks are rightly considered war crimes by the international community.

What is it that they say? There will come a time when everyone has always been against it.

It's not disingenuous. It's factual to say that Iran and Kuwait are not at war.

No it isn't misleading to say what I said which is that I criticised Israel on MN when they stopped all deliveries of humanitarian aid during the war in Gaza. That is factual and you will be able to see posts written by me in which I said that was wrong when Israel blocked all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza which was for a couple of months from memory.

You bought up a different topic - something discussed at length on a different thread. No point rehashing old points especially when they are not even relevant to this thread about the desalination plant in Kuwait.

I am not on IG but if you have a recommendation where to look, I would really appreciate it.

I just read what is available, there are some verified commentators if you have a look on IG.

I’m not certain what can be done about them but I find it hard that those suffering aren’t really given much air time. Probably because information is so suppressed, violently and practically.

Anyone can say they care too and don’t want what’s happening, I have no issue with that.

On the pilots unfortunately SM will get all sorts of comments but thankfully mn appears to be free from that.

You are regurgitating without context information that was being discussed on that thread - MSF reported these incidents as they happened and the identity of the armed masked men was not confirmed. The possibility that they could have been Israeli backed armed militia was strong as discussed in that thread.

You also supported the dismantling of UNRWA, which is the backbone of humanitarian aid for Palestinians, on the basis of misinformation.

Ordinarily I wouldn’t bring this up on another thread but your claim that you have been in support of the facilitation of humanitarian aid in Gaza is misleading at best.

The problem of the IRGC is not going away any time soon.

I would like to believe they are weakened somwhow but I don't feel very hopeful about it.

I think you said that you have read personal accounts from people there or with family there, what do they say about it?

I’m always happy to decide on what is agreed upon, which is why I said on another the actions of IRGC should be separated from what to do about it.

There is nothing offensive in what you are saying here so I'm sure what I warned that I would report on a different thread (if the attacks continued which they didn't) was different in tone.

I have asked several people on this thread if they condemn Iran hitting the water desalination plant but most haven't replied so maybe their silence gives the answer. It's an easy enough thing to condemn.

I think it is safe to say that everyone is concerned about the missing pilot and hope he will be found soon.

I also think we have more common ground than you imply.

Have they? Did you address them directly about this?

I did ask you similar on a different thread and you warned me that you would report me.