Jordan Ellis
Between 2003 and 2011, an estimated 12 health facilities in Iraq were bombed, stormed, or attacked by American forces and suicide bombers. The United States and its allies likely dropped half a million tons of bombs on Iraq by 2005. While it is unclear whether the destruction of facilities was intentional or a byproduct of a failure to take precautions, there is evidence that hospitals were indeed bombed by US forces. For instance, a Baghdad hospital was bombed by US forces in 2003, and a separate report mentions that US B-52 warplanes bombed the northern Iraqi front line.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | March 2003–December 2011 |
| Number of health facilities attacked | 12 |
| Attackers | American forces and suicide bombers |
| Data sources | Media |
| Total number of bombs dropped by the US and its allies | Half a million tons |
| Type of bombs dropped by the US and the UK | Cluster bombs, carbon fiber bombs, CBU-103’s bomblets, BLU-97s, explosive ordnance, Tomahawk cruise missiles, BLU-114/B graphite bombs |
| Impact on electrical power distribution facilities | Serious and long-term detrimental impact on the civilian population |
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What You'll Learn
US forces bombed a Baghdad hospital in 2003
During the Iraq War, US forces bombed a Baghdad hospital in 2003. The United States Army's 3rd Infantry Division and the United States Marine Corps' 1st Marine Division, supported by American and British aircraft, confronted 36,000 Iraqi soldiers. The US-led coalition aircraft were making bombing runs on Baghdad at a rate of 1,000 sorties a day, most of them aimed at the Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard.
On April 2, 2003, US aircraft hit a Red Crescent maternity hospital in Baghdad, killing several people and wounding at least 25. Patients and at least three doctors and nurses working at the hospital were among those wounded. The missiles also hit Baghdad's trade fair building, which lies next to a government security office. Iraq's information minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, said that overnight bombings by US-led forces killed 24 civilians and injured 186 across the country.
The United States and its allies dropped half a million tons of bombs in Iraq by 2005. Between March 2003 and December 2011, an estimated 12 health facilities were bombed, stormed, or attacked by American forces and suicide bombers. The intentionality of these attacks on healthcare facilities is unclear. It is uncertain whether the destruction of these facilities was a deliberate strategy or a byproduct of failing to take precautions as required by the Geneva Conventions.
In the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen, there have been widespread reports of attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel. However, the number of hospital bombings in Syria and Yemen is far higher than those reported in other conflicts.
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12 health facilities were attacked by US forces
Between March 2003 and December 2011, an estimated 12 health facilities were attacked by US forces in Iraq. These attacks included bombings, raids, and assaults by American soldiers and suicide bombers. The specific methodologies used to verify these incidents are not outlined in published articles. However, the media captured these events, providing some documentation of the attacks.
The United States employed a range of weapons during the Iraq War, including outdated cluster bombs and carbon fiber bombs. Cluster bombs, such as the CBU-103 and BLU-97, are designed to have an area effect and anti-armor capabilities. They release hundreds of metal fragments and incendiary materials, causing widespread damage and posing significant risks to civilians. The use of these weapons resulted in numerous civilian casualties and injuries, with hospitals treating patients for wounds inflicted by submunitions.
The US targeted electrical power distribution facilities with carbon fiber bombs, causing temporary incapacitation rather than destruction. However, the long-term impact on civilians may be detrimental. For example, US strikes on transformer facilities in al-Nasiriyya resulted in a 30-day power outage.
The destruction of health facilities during the Iraq War raises questions about compliance with the Geneva Conventions. It is unclear if the attacks on healthcare facilities were deliberate or collateral damage resulting from failures to take necessary precautions. The lack of comprehensive reporting and the challenges of data collection further complicate the understanding of the intentionality behind these attacks.
The attacks on health facilities in Iraq are part of a broader pattern observed in other conflicts, including those in Syria, Yemen, Chechnya, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These incidents underscore the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law and taking all feasible measures to protect medical personnel and infrastructure during armed conflicts.
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US use of outdated cluster bombs
During the Iraq War, the United States and its allies dropped a large number of bombs on Iraq. By 2005, the US and its allies had likely dropped half a million tons of bombs on Iraq. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US used cluster bombs, which are multiple-purpose weapons containing a combination of anti-armor, anti-personnel, and anti-materiel munitions. Cluster bombs pose a risk to civilians as they release many small bomblets over a wide area. The US military slang terms for them are "firecracker" or "popcorn" shells, for the many small explosions they cause in the target area.
The US extensively used cluster munitions in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. According to an analysis of US bombing data by Handicap International, approximately 80,000 cluster munitions containing 26 million submunitions were dropped on Cambodia between 1969 and 1973. Over 414,000 cluster bombs containing at least 260 million submunitions were dropped on Laos between 1965 and 1973. The US dropped over 296,000 cluster munitions containing nearly 97 million submunitions on Vietnam between 1965 and 1975.
During the Gulf War in 1991, the US, France, and the UK dropped 61,000 cluster bombs, containing 20 million submunitions, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The US accounted for 57,000 of these droppings. The US Department of Defense estimated that 1.2 to 1.5 million submunitions did not explode. According to human rights organizations, unexploded submunitions have caused over 4,000 civilian casualties, including 1,600 deaths, in Iraq and Kuwait.
Between 2003 and 2006, the US and its allies attacked Iraq with 13,000 cluster munitions, containing two million submunitions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to HRW. The majority were DPICMs, or Dual-purpose improved conventional munitions. At multiple times, coalition forces used cluster munitions in residential areas, and the country remains among the most contaminated to this day, with bomblets posing a threat to both US military personnel in the area and local civilians.
In 2001, Human Rights Watch called for the US to stop using cluster munition bombs due to the unacceptable risk posed to civilians. In 2009, the last reported use of cluster munitions by the US was in Yemen, involving a TLAM-D cruise missile containing BLU-97 bomblets. In 2013, Representative Darrell Issa introduced the DRONES Act, which included provisions requiring that US cluster munitions have a less than 1% dud rate and be used only against military targets and not in areas inhabited by civilians.
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US targeted electrical power distribution facilities
During the Iraq War, between March 2003 and December 2011, an estimated 12 health facilities were attacked by American forces and suicide bombers. However, there is uncertainty regarding the extent of the attacks on healthcare facilities, as the United States and its allies dropped approximately half a million tons of bombs on Iraq by 2005. This high volume of explosives may have masked the extent to which these forces avoided health facilities.
While there is evidence of US attacks on hospitals in Iraq, there is no specific information available regarding the targeting of electrical power distribution facilities in the country. However, it is worth noting that attacks on electrical infrastructure have occurred in other conflicts involving the US. For example, in June 2025, the US targeted Iran's largest nuclear enrichment center in Natanz with bunker-busting bombs and cruise missiles. This attack caused damage to the electrical infrastructure at the plant, potentially affecting the underground facilities where centrifuges for nuclear enrichment are housed.
The US military has also utilized similar tactics in other conflicts. In 2003, during the Iraq War, US B-52 warplanes bombed the northern Iraqi frontline between Dohuk and Mosul. While the specific targets of these bombings are not mentioned, it demonstrates the extensive aerial campaigns conducted by the US during this conflict.
Although there is no explicit mention of targeting electrical power distribution facilities in Iraq, the US military has employed strategies that involve disrupting power infrastructure in other contexts. The extent to which similar tactics were employed in Iraq requires further investigation, as the available sources primarily focus on the attacks on healthcare facilities and other significant targets.
In conclusion, while there is no direct evidence of the US specifically targeting electrical power distribution facilities in Iraq, the country's military has a history of conducting airstrikes and employing strategies that impact power infrastructure in other conflicts. The Iraq War was a complex and prolonged conflict, and further research may uncover more specific details regarding the targeting of critical infrastructure, including electrical power distribution facilities.
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US dropped half a million tons of bombs in Iraq by 2005
Between 2003 and 2011, an estimated 12 healthcare facilities in Iraq were bombed, stormed, or attacked by American forces and suicide bombers. During this period, the United States and its allies dropped half a million tons of bombs on Iraq.
The Iraq War, which lasted from 2003 to 2011, was a conflict that resulted in significant casualties and destruction. The US-led coalition forces launched an invasion of Iraq in 2003, citing the need to eliminate weapons of mass destruction and overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein. The war resulted in a prolonged occupation of the country and a complex insurgency, leading to widespread violence and instability.
During the Iraq War, the United States and its allies conducted extensive aerial bombing campaigns. By 2005, it is estimated that they had dropped approximately half a million tons of bombs on Iraq. This massive bombardment raises questions about the targeting and proportionality of the attacks, especially in light of reports that hospitals and other civilian infrastructure were also bombed.
While the exact number of hospital bombings is difficult to verify, there are several documented incidents of hospitals being bombed in Iraq during the war. For example, in 2003, there were reports of a Baghdad hospital being bombed, with specific mentions of US B-52 warplanes conducting airstrikes in the country. Additionally, a review of attacks on healthcare facilities in six conflicts, including Iraq, found that an estimated 12 health facilities in Iraq were bombed, stormed, or attacked by American forces and suicide bombers between 2003 and 2011.
The bombing of hospitals and healthcare facilities is a serious violation of international humanitarian law, which protects medical personnel, patients, and facilities during times of armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions, to which the United States is a signatory, specifically prohibit attacks on medical units and establishments and require their protection and respect. Unfortunately, the destruction of healthcare facilities in Iraq disrupted essential medical services and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, between March 2003 and December 2011, an estimated 12 health facilities were bombed, stormed, or attacked by American forces and suicide bombers.
Yes, there were dozens of civilian casualties. In one instance, a strike injured three people, two children and one adult.
Yes, the US targeted electrical power distribution facilities and transformer facilities.
Yes, the UK was also involved in the bombing of Iraq.
