The US and Israel's war on Iran is threatening not just oil and energy routes in the Gulf but also one of the region's most vital resources: Water.
Two weeks into the war, at least two desalination plants in the Persian Gulf have been damaged, raising concerns about water supplies for millions. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said a March 7 attack on a desalination plant on Qeshm Island disrupted water supply to about 30 villages. Iran blamed the US, but the Pentagon and Israel denied responsibility.
In Bahrain, authorities said an Iranian drone caused “material damage” to a desalination plant. The country's water and electricity authority said the incident did not affect water supply.
Desalination plants are crucial for countries across the Gulf, where natural freshwater sources are extremely limited. Nations such as Qatar and Bahrain depend on desalination for more than half of their freshwater supply. Over the past few decades, these plants have expanded rapidly as droughts linked to climate change have become more frequent.
Experts warn that damage to even one major plant could have serious consequences.
“Unfortunately, desalination is fragile,” Mohamed Abdel Hamyd Dawoud, a senior water resource adviser for the Abu Dhabi government, said, as per CS Monitor.
“But the Gulf Cooperation Council [collection of Gulf states] is an arid region. We don't have surface water bodies, we do not have lakes or rivers, and renewable water sources are very scarce. There aren't many alternatives,” he says.
Large facilities supply water to huge populations and are complex systems that can take a long time to repair if damaged.
“The response would be to truck in bottled water, mobile desalination systems, tanker water,” David Michel, a fellow in the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The NY Times. “Those supply chains exist,” he said. “But that's still a huge logistical hurdle. It's extremely disruptive.”
International law prohibits attacks on infrastructure essential for civilian survival, including water systems. Analysts say recent incidents suggest these facilities may be becoming targets.
“When you're targeting water infrastructure, you're directly affecting a civilian population,” said Mohammed Mahmoud, Middle East Lead for the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. “That's absolutely a war crime to attack infrastructure that civilians are so dependent on, on either side."
Even indirect damage could disrupt water production. Desalination plants depend heavily on energy and clean seawater. Oil spills, pollution, or damage to nearby power plants could force them to shut down.
