Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:23pm on 08 Mar 2026,Sunday International
The ongoing war involving Iran, the US, and Israel is raising concern over the Gulf’s fragile water supply. Experts say desalination plants, which provide most drinking water in the region, could become targets. About 60% of the world’s desalination plants are in the Gulf. Countries like the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia depend heavily on them for daily water needs. Iran accused the US of damaging a desalination plant on Qeshm Island. The US and Israel denied the claim. Experts warn the systems are vulnerable. “None of these assets are any more protected than municipal areas hit by missiles,” water analyst Ed Cullinane said. Analysts say attacks on water systems could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
