Iran Under Threat: Will Bombing Achieve War Objectives?
Examining the history and potential consequences of targeting Iran's infrastructure in a military conflict, as recent conflicts have shown.
As tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, the threat of bombing Iran's bridges, power plants, and other critical infrastructure has emerged as a potential military strategy. This approach, often referred to as 'bombing back to the stone ages,' follows a similar playbook to recent conflicts, with potential consequences that extend far beyond the initial military objectives.
During Israel's 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli jets bombed the Jiyeh power station north of the coastal city of Sidon. The blaze could be seen for miles, a towering column of black smoke, and the damage was severe - sand was turned to glass.
The plant's damaged storage tanks leaked an estimated 15,000 tonnes of oil into the eastern Mediterranean, the largest spill in that sea. The environmental impact was devastating, with the oil slick extending for miles and damaging marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Source: The Guardian
