Iran says US strikes cut drinking water to 20,000 in Hormozgan province

The managing director of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company in southern Iran has said that pre-dawn US strikes completely destroyed critical water infrastructure in the eastern part of the province, leaving more than 20,000 residents without access to drinking water as summer temperatures soar.

Abdolhamid Hamzehpour told local media on Wednesday that American “terrorist attacks” struck water supply facilities in Sirik County, targeting the distribution network serving the town of Kuhestak and 10 villages in the Bemani district, News.Az reports, citing Iran’s English-language Press TV.

Hamzehpour said two concrete reservoirs, with capacities of 500 and 2,000 cubic metres, along with associated mechanical equipment, were destroyed in the strikes. The damage has led to a complete disruption of water distribution in the affected areas.

“The enemy has precisely targeted infrastructure linked to the daily livelihood and health of the people,” Hamzehpour said, describing the attack as “flagrant terrorism”.

According to Press TV, the outage comes as the region experiences peak summer temperatures, with local weather reported to be between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius. Officials said the area lacks sufficient groundwater reserves to compensate for the loss of the reservoirs, creating a critical situation for residents.

Hamzehpour condemned the loss of access to water as a “clear instance of a crime against humanity”, noting that operational teams are on site but face significant challenges due to the scale of the destruction.

He confirmed that mobile water tankers have been deployed to the area as an emergency measure. However, he warned that fully restoring the damaged pumping and storage systems would require “time and extensive technical work”.

“The deprivation of a large population of access to water under these weather conditions is being carried out under the shadow of false claims of humanitarian aid,” Hamzehpour added, according to IRNA.

News.Az