Donald Trump's threat to bomb Iran “back to the stone ages” reveals a dangerous willingness to inflict suffering on Iranian civilians and disregard international legal norms. His remarks, promising to target Iranian power plants and bridges, echo strategies employed in past conflicts like the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war and the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, where infrastructure attacks failed to achieve their strategic objectives and inflicted immense hardship on civilian populations.

The Israeli bombing of the Jiyeh power station in Lebanon during the 2006 war resulted in a catastrophic environmental disaster, spilling an estimated 15,000 tonnes of oil into the Mediterranean Sea. While Israel claimed victory, Hezbollah quickly rearmed and remained a potent force, demonstrating the futility of solely targeting infrastructure. This historical parallel highlights the likely ineffectiveness of Trump’s threat.

Trump’s expletive-laden social media posts threatening Iran with “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one” unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens, raise serious questions about potential violations of international law. Targeting civilian infrastructure is widely considered a war crime, particularly when it causes disproportionate harm to civilians. Such threats demonstrate a callous disregard for human life and the principles of international humanitarian law.

Trump has since reiterated his stance. He posted that the destruction of Iranian civilization may occur. He expressed the sentiment that he did not wish for this outcome, but that it was likely to occur.

The ongoing Russian bombardment of Ukraine's infrastructure, resulting in widespread blackouts and a humanitarian crisis, further illustrates the devastating consequences of such tactics. Despite these attacks, Ukraine has not capitulated, demonstrating the resilience of a determined population in the face of aggression.

The history of bombing campaigns, from World War II to the Vietnam War, reveals a pattern of limited success and unintended consequences. The British policy of “area bombing” during World War II, aimed at demoralizing the German population, is now widely seen as morally questionable and strategically ineffective. Similarly, the U.S. Rolling Thunder campaign against North Vietnam failed to achieve its objectives and resulted in immense human suffering.