Damascus, March 16 (SANA) – The ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has raised growing concerns in Gulf countries over the vulnerability of desalination plants, which supply most of the region’s fresh water.
The Gulf is one of the world’s driest regions and relies heavily on seawater desalination. In several countries, desalinated water accounts for between 42% and 90% of total consumption, while an estimated 100 million people depend on these facilities for drinking water.
Strategic infrastructure under threat
As the conflict enters its third week, several incidents involving desalination or related infrastructure have been reported.
Iran announced on March 7 that a desalination facility on Qeshm Island had been struck during hostilities, cutting water supplies to around 30 villages. Elsewhere in the Gulf, authorities in Bahrain reported damage to a desalination facility following a drone strike, while debris from an intercepted missile sparked a fire at a power and water complex in Kuwait.
Fragile systems in an arid region
Water experts warn that desalination plants are inherently vulnerable due to the region’s geography and limited alternatives.
Mohammed Abdulhamid Dawoud, water resources adviser to the Abu Dhabi government, said the Gulf region lacks natural freshwater sources such as rivers, leaving desalination as the primary solution.
David Michel, a specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, warned that simultaneous disruptions to major plants could trigger a severe logistical crisis. In such scenarios, countries might have to rely on bottled water and tanker deliveries, which would be difficult to sustain for long periods.
Operational risks and legal concerns
Most desalination facilities in the Gulf operate alongside power generation plants, since desalination requires large amounts of electricity. As a result, attacks on energy infrastructure could also disrupt water production.
Environmental risks also remain significant. A major oil spill in Gulf waters could force plants to shut down for weeks or months due to contamination of intake water.
International law experts note that targeting water infrastructure violates international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on objects indispensable to civilian survival, including drinking water facilities and supply systems.
Limited reserves and long-term challenges
Although Gulf countries have invested in strategic water reserves, experts say most stockpiles would only cover short-term disruptions. The United Arab Emirates has expanded storage capacity to cover more than 45 days of emergency demand, but such reserves cannot replace long-term production losses.
Analysts say the conflict is exposing the fragility of the Gulf’s water systems and testing the region’s ability to protect critical infrastructure while ensuring the continued supply of spare parts, chemicals and energy required to operate desalination plants.
As geopolitical tensions continue, experts warn that water security in the Gulf will increasingly depend on strengthening infrastructure resilience and developing more sustainable alternatives to desalination.
Kh.A
