Desalination plants are targeted; more than 1/4 of them are in the region and supply countries such as Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia
The attacks target nuclear power plants. The locations supply countries in the region, where water resources are scarce. Sabotage at plants threatens supply in the region.
Iran accused the US of attacking plants in the Gulf of Oman, this Saturday (March 7, 2026). Countries in the region claim that Iranian desalination attacks. This is the case of the attack on the port of Jebel Ali, in Dubai, approximately 19 kilometers from one of the largest desalination plants in the world.
Damage was reported at the Fujairah F1 power and water complex in the United Arab Emirates; at the Doha West desalination plant in Kuwait; and in power plants in Bahrain.
SUPPLY PLANTS
More than 1/4 of the world’s desalination plants are in the Middle East. Many of these locations are integrated with power plants. Attacks on electrical infrastructure can harm water production.
Among the countries with great dependence on desalinated water are:
- Kuwait – 90% of its drinking water comes from desalination;
- Oman – 86% of water supply depends on plants;
- Saudi Arabia – 70% of the water consumed is desalinated. The capital, Riyadh, would have to be evacuated within a week if the Jubail plant suffered serious damage;
- United Arab Emirates – has essential infrastructure, such as the Jebel Ali plant in Dubai and the Fujairah F1 complex;
- Bahrain and Qatar – smaller countries that depend on the system and have fewer energy reserves to deal with supply interruptions;
- Iran – although it still gets most of its water from rivers and aquifers, it operates plants in places such as the island of Qeshm and plans to expand the desalination network to face extreme droughts.
DROUGHT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The Middle East faces a water crisis intensified by climate change. In 2025, Iran experienced the worst drought in 6 decades. for 2 months in 15 of the 31 provinces.
Desalination consumes a lot of energy. The potential impact could reach 400 million to 800 million tons of CO2 per year by 2040. The data appears in do Journal of Energy Resources Technology. International humanitarian law, which includes the Geneva Conventions, prohibits attacks on civilian infrastructure essential to survival.
