Micah Jonah, March 8, 2026
Concerns are rising across the Gulf region after a reported drone strike damaged a water desalination facility in Bahrain amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Authorities in Bahrain said an Iranian drone attack caused material damage to a desalination plant, marking the first reported targeting of such infrastructure since the war escalated more than a week ago.
The development came a day after Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi said a desalination facility on Qeshm Island had been struck during attacks blamed on the United States.
The incidents have raised new concerns about water security in the Gulf, one of the most water scarce regions in the world.
Desalination plants convert seawater into freshwater for drinking, irrigation and industrial use. The process removes salt and impurities through thermal or membrane based technologies, with reverse osmosis being the most widely used method.
Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council rely heavily on desalination due to limited natural freshwater sources and low rainfall. More than 400 desalination plants operate along the Gulf coast, supplying water to millions of people.
Studies indicate that GCC member states account for about 60 percent of global desalination capacity and produce nearly 40 percent of the world’s desalinated water.
Dependence on desalinated water varies across the region. About 90 percent of drinking water in Kuwait comes from desalination plants, while the figure is about 86 percent in Oman and about 70 percent in Saudi Arabia. In the United Arab Emirates, desalination supplies roughly 42 percent of drinking water.
Environmental researcher Naser Alsayed warned that attacks on desalination infrastructure could threaten both economic stability and daily life across the region.
He noted that smaller Gulf states such as Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar could be particularly vulnerable because they depend heavily on desalinated water and have limited strategic water reserves.
Historical precedent highlights the risk. During the Gulf War, destruction of desalination facilities severely disrupted water supply in Kuwait.
Experts say the impact of any attack would depend on the scale of damage and the preparedness of individual countries. Some states have contingency plans and storage reserves. The United Arab Emirates, for example, maintains water reserves designed to last for about 45 days.
Analysts say the psychological impact of targeting water infrastructure could also be significant, as disruptions to water supply can quickly create fear and instability among civilian populations.
Experts are now urging Gulf countries to strengthen cooperation on water security through joint planning, shared reserves and coordinated infrastructure protection to reduce vulnerabilities during regional conflicts.
