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Gulf Desalination Plants Put on Alert as Strikes Test Region’s Water Lifeline

Heavy reliance on a few coastal plants leaves civilian water supplies exposed to rapid disruption.

Overview

  • Officials traded accusations over attacks on water infrastructure, with Bahrain reporting drone damage near Muharraq and Iran saying a U.S. strike hit Qeshm Island’s plant, cutting water to about 30 villages.
  • Kuwait reported damage at its Doha West facility, while strikes near Dubai’s Jebel Ali landed close to a major plant and the operator of UAE’s Fujairah F1 said that complex remains fully operational.
  • Despite localized damage and at least one outage claim, authorities have not reported a broader collapse of water service across the Gulf states.
  • The six GCC countries produced 7.2 billion cubic metres of desalinated water in 2023, and several rely on desalination for most drinking water, leaving millions vulnerable to even short interruptions.
  • Experts warn many plants are tied to power stations, so energy hits can halt water production, and Canada’s cyber agency cautioned that Iran‑aligned actors may target water and energy networks.