Trump's Iran Threats: War Crime or Leverage?

0:00President Trump dropped the bombshell in his Monday news conference, threatening to wipe out every bridge and power plan in Iran. Military law experts are calling it a potential war crime because those targets could hit civilians hard, like hospitals and water plants, without. Clear military gain or proportionality. The threats ramped up amid a two-month conflict, with Trump posting on truth social about obliterating electric plants, oil wells on Carg Island, and even desalination facilities for drinking water. Shipping in the strait of hormones has ground to a halt, spiking oil prices and shaking the stock market. Democrats in Congress and UN officials slam bit as illegal under international law, warning of excessive civilian harm. Scholars like those from the Naval War College say power plants might qualify as targets if they aid the military, but only of harm is minimized, and alternatives like hitting substations are considered first. Republicans like Senator Joni Ernst defend it as leverage in an ongoing operation, while

1:02experts note Trump has broad legal protections, including possible partings. Democrats call it a textbook violation, but Congress overriding him seems unlikely. Even if legal, bombing civilian-linked sites could breed long-term backlash, echoing messes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam, turning short-term winds into endless headaches for everyone involved. You've been listening to Canada News today, AI-powered local news.