Key facts
- Iran struck a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait.
- The strike caused material damage to the plant.
- Kuwait relies on desalination for approximately 90% of its drinking water.
- Desalination plants in the Persian Gulf are vulnerable to missile or drone attacks.
- Damage to desalination infrastructure could lead to water crises in Gulf cities.
Iranian strikes on Friday hit a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait, damaging one of the key sources of drinking water in the small desert nation. This incident highlights the extreme vulnerabilities in one of the world’s driest regions, which relies almost exclusively on technology to produce freshwater. Kuwaiti authorities reported that the strikes damaged a large number of power generation units and sparked a fire, which has since been contained. Emergency contingency plans were activated.
Across the Middle East, desalination plants are critical for sustaining populations, industry, and agriculture. In Kuwait, about 90% of drinking water comes from desalination, with similar high percentages in Oman and Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of these plants are situated along the Persian Gulf coast, making them potential targets for missile or drone attacks. Without them, major cities could face severe water shortages.
Throughout the past few months, Iran has been accused of striking near several desalination plants in the Gulf. Kuwait previously reported damage at the Doha West desalination plant due to debris from intercepted attacks. Iran has accused the U.S. of striking Iranian desalination plants, which cut off water supplies for villages. Many Gulf desalination plants are integrated with power stations, meaning attacks on electrical infrastructure can also hinder water production.
Gulf governments and U.S. officials have long recognized the risks these systems pose to regional stability. A 2010 CIA analysis warned that attacks on desalination facilities could trigger national crises, with prolonged outages lasting months if critical equipment were destroyed. The report stated that over 90% of the Gulf’s desalinated water comes from just 56 plants, each extremely vulnerable to sabotage or military action. These plants also face risks from climate change, including storm surges and extreme rainfall.