Sunday, March 8th 2026
Gulf Arab states are shutting down oil and gas production as a result of the US-Israel war against Iran, but it’s not just their energy infrastructure currently being held hostage by retaliatory Iranian missiles and drones: it’s their food and water, too.
A water desalination plant in Bahrain has been attacked, the country’s Interior Ministry said. According to official information, the facility was hit by a kamikaze drone, causing material damage. While it has not yet been confirmed who was responsible, reports suggest possible Iranian involvement.
The attack has raised concerns about the security of key infrastructure, as desalination plants are the backbone of the country’s drinking water supply.
Gulf countries have very limited natural freshwater resources, leading to a high dependence on energy-intensive seawater desalination to meet their needs. for water.
Over 400 desalination plants are located along the Persian Gulf. They are used to support industry, maintain green golf courses and, most importantly, quench the thirst of the region’s residents.
It would be absolutely dangerous if Iran attacked these plants.
Some Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, had large amounts of fresh groundwater, but these have been depleted as their economies have transformed into major global economies and destinations for immigrants. Desalination plants began to appear in large numbers in the 1960s and 1970s, and have multiplied since then.
In the United Arab Emirates, 42 percent of drinking water comes from desalination plants; in Kuwait, it is 90 percent; in Oman, 86 percent; and in Saudi Arabia, 70 percent.
Some countries have built strategic reserves, but for small states like Qatar and Bahrain, they could run out in a matter of days if their desalination plants were destroyed.
Gulf industry, “water-intensive”
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia stated in a 2008 memo that only the plant The kingdom’s Jubail desalination plant supplied Riyadh with over 90 percent of its drinking water. The Gulf has diversified by building more plants over the past 20 years, but it is still just as dependent on those plants.
Petrochemical refineries and downstream production facilities in the Gulf states also require large amounts of fresh water.
The most important part of water use is for human consumption: drinking water. But this water use pales in comparison to industrial and agricultural use, and industries in the Gulf region are very water-intensive.
The fact that desalination plants in the Gulf were not targeted shows that Iran is acting with restraint, experts say.
As the war progresses, it is becoming increasingly clear that Iran has used sophisticated targeting to attack US radar installations, complexes diplomatic and energy infrastructure. Bahrain’s largest oil refinery was engulfed in flames on Friday after an Iranian attack.
Talk of direct Gulf involvement in the US attack has faded in recent days. Their vulnerability to water may be one reason why they are reluctant to escalate the situation.
Iran has sent mixed messages about the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates rely on to export energy and import goods and food.
The reality is that the strait faces a de facto closure as Western insurance groups refuse to cover the dangers of war, leaving only the bravest shipowners to navigate through it.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, along with severely disrupted air traffic, means the Gulf is also vulnerable to food shortages.
More than 80 to 90 percent of some Gulf states’ food is imported. Their entire economic model is based on imports. Closing shipping lanes and ports will disrupt this.
Arab governments are working to prevent food shortages, but panic buying is inevitable.
Gulf countries rely on air transport for much of their food imports. Several Gulf states have developed strong agricultural sectors. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, for example, are major regional centers for dairy products. But their cows depend on imported feed. The United Arab Emirates is a major consumer of alfalfa from Arizona.
Even as the United Arab Emirates prepares to reopen Dubai International Airport, other regional airspace remains closed and cargo flights could be disrupted, experts say.
Closing the Strait of Hormuz means food will have to come to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar through ports of entry in Saudi Arabia and Oman, which are less affected.
Rising transport and insurance costs will translate into food inflation. It will require significant restructuring if everything is rerouted through the ports of Sohar and Jeddah.
Several Gulf countries, notably the United Arab Emirates, have also emerged as major shipping and food hubs for Asia and Africa. Even if Iran does not specifically target them, the war could disrupt their business models.
For example, Dubai-based Al Khaleej Sugar owns the world’s largest sugar refinery, located in a port. It imports 1.6 million metric tons of raw sugar annually and exports about 1.3 million tons of refined sugar annually.
Al Khaleej Sugar told Reuters on Thursday it was open and operating normally and had raw materials for two years. /tesheshi.com/
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Source: prizrenpost
