The United States-Israel and Iran conflict, which has indirectly involved several Gulf countries appears to be reaching a turning point, with attacks targeting critical infrastructure. Bahrain on Sunday, stated that an Iranian drone strike damaged a desalination plant that supplies freshwater to residents and injured three people.
The Bahraini Interior Ministry, in a post on X, condemned the attack on civilian infrastructure. “Iranian aggression indiscriminately attacked civilian targets and caused material damage to a water desalination plant following a drone attack," the ministry stated. The conflict has entered its ninth day and the situation remains escalated with Iran launching retaliatory strikes across countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Iranian aggression indiscriminately attacked civilian targets and caused material damage to a water desalination plant following a drone attack.
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) March 8, 2026
Water crisis in Gulf?
Amid heightened tensions, the drone attack on desalination plant in Bahrain indicates that the conflict is now expanding to civilian facilities. This has raised concerns about disruptions to basic services like water supply as most of the Gulf countries heavily depend on desalination plants for drinking water. This implies that strikes on such plants could disrupt water supply for large populations and trigger a major crisis.
According to a report by Middle East Eye, there are over 400 water desalination plants in the Persian Gulf. These are used to keep industry running, golf courses green and for domestic usage. Speaking to the news outlet, Mohammed Mahmoud, Middle East Lead at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, said, "If Iran starts attacking those sites, it would be very bad."
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Which countries could face risk?
Saudi Arabia once had abundant fresh water, but as the economy globalised and the region's population grew, this water depleted. In 1960s and 70s, the desalination plants were first installed and their numbers have grown rapidly since then. One can note the Gulf countries' dependence on these plants for potable water by the fact that 60 per cent of the world's water desalination capacity is concentrated here. About 42 per cent of the UAE's water comes from desalination plants. Saudi Arabia has 70 per cent, Oman 86 per cent, and Kuwait 90 per cent.
While some countries in the region have built water reserves, but countries like Qatar and Bahrain face the risk if their desalination plants are destroyed. They could be exhausted within days. Targeting water plants in these countries could cause catastrophic damage.
Iran blames US
Meanwhile, Iran said it was Washington that set a precedent for such attacks when it targeted a water desalination plant on Iranian soil. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X, "The US committed a blatant and desperate crime by attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island...Water supply in 30 villages has been impacted. Attacking Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences. The US set this precedent, not Iran.”