By Abdullahi Lukman
Iran has threatened to target desalination and energy facilities across the Middle East following reported damage to its own water and power infrastructure in the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.
The warning came after US President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, vowing to strike Iranian power plants if the route remains closed.
In response, Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya operational command said any further attacks on its infrastructure would prompt retaliation against US and Israeli-linked facilities in the region.
Iran’s energy minister, Abbas Aliabadi, said recent strikes had damaged dozens of water transmission and treatment facilities, disrupting parts of the country’s supply network.
Tensions have already seen incidents involving desalination facilities. Bahrain reported that an ایرانی drone strike damaged a plant earlier in March, though authorities said water supply was not affected.
Iran, however, accused the United States of first targeting a desalination facility on Qeshm Island, which serves several communities.
Experts warn that attacks on water infrastructure, though rare in warfare, could significantly escalate the conflict.
Water economist Esther Crauser-Delbourg cautioned that targeting such systems risks triggering broader humanitarian and economic consequences.
Desalination plants are critical in the Middle East, one of the world’s driest regions, where water availability is far below the global average.
Countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait rely heavily on desalinated water for drinking and economic activities, particularly in major cities like Dubai and Riyadh.
Analysts note that beyond direct attacks, these facilities face risks from power outages and environmental contamination, including oil spills.
Some countries have responded by increasing security around major plants, including deploying missile defence systems.
Although past incidents involving water infrastructure have been limited—such as attacks linked to the Yemen conflict and strikes in Gaza—experts warn that any escalation could lead to severe water shortages, economic disruption and possible population displacement.
While many desalination systems have backup reserves and interconnections to cushion short-term disruptions, prolonged outages could have far-reaching impacts across the region.
