@mms The definition of "war crime" is tricky. Destroy a desalinization plant? Depends on whether the military advantage outweighs the harm to civilians. That's the test under international law, and the expectation is that you will actually do that comparison.

But merely threatening intentional killing of civilians is a war crime. So is "no quarter, no mercy" as our Sec Def pronounced. (Even that depends on whether that was an order or not.)

The USA has nuked entire cities. twice.