Iran Says US-Israeli Strikes Destroy Desalination Plant, Drug Facilities

March 31, 2026 | 06:48 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. and Israeli strikes destroyed a water desalination plant as well as a major pharmaceutical facility early Tuesday, according to regime officials quoted by Iranian media outlets.

"One of the desalination plants on Qeshm Island was targeted and is now completely out of service, as it is not possible to repair it in the short term," ISNA news agency quoted a Health Ministry official as saying.

In early March, the Iranian government said that U.S. and Israeli forces had targeted a desalination plant on the island. These plants are key to providing drinkable water across the country.

Early on Tuesday, the Iranian government also confirmed airstrikes on pharmaceutical facilities producing life-saving drugs.

In a social media post, the government said, "During the U.S. and Zionist regime attacks on civilian centers on the morning of Tuesday, one of the largest companies producing anti-cancer, anesthetic, and specialized medicines was damaged, and the drug production line was damaged."

The strikes come after U.S. President Donald Trump loudly proclaimed that the U.S. would expand its attacks if Iran did not agree to a ceasefire "soon," with Trump threatening Iran's key oil installations at Kharg Island as well as floating the possibility of targeting water desalination plants — potentially a war crime.

Prior to the Tuesday attacks, Erika Guevara-Rosa of the rights group Amnesty International called on Trump to retract his threat.

"President Donald Trump must retract deeply irresponsible threats of acts that would unleash catastrophic harm on millions of civilians," she said, adding: "The decision to not proceed with such attacks must be based on the USA's obligations under international humanitarian law to avoid civilian harm, not the outcome of political negotiations."

Read: Trump Threatens to Bomb Iran Desalination Plants If Talks Fail

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