Water Under Fire: Escalating Conflict in the Gulf Raises Concerns Over Civilian Water Security and Humanitarian Risks
- Human Rights Research Center
- 14 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Author: Aamnah Fatima Khan
March 10, 2026
HRRC strongly condemns the targeting of civilian water infrastructure by Iran and the United States, and warns that such attacks violate fundamental humanitarian principles and place vulnerable populations at serious risk. We call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of essential services, particularly water systems critical for civilian survival.
![Two women from the Iranian Red Crescent Society are seen Sunday as a thick plume of smoke rises from a U.S.-Israeli strike on an oil storage facility in Tehran. [Image credit: Vahid Salemi / Associated Press]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e28a6b_c95ed01d400d448aafafe7d936b55ff5~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_49,h_33,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/e28a6b_c95ed01d400d448aafafe7d936b55ff5~mv2.png)
A United States strike reportedly hit a freshwater desalination facility on Qeshm Island, Iran, disrupting water supplies to about 30 villages, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. FM Araghchi described the incident as a “blatant and desperate crime” and warned of dangerous consequences from attacks on civilian infrastructure.
However, Iran’s strikes on the Arab Gulf have also hit desalination plants. On Sunday, March 8,, Bahrain reported that an Iranian drone strike caused material damage to a desalination plant, marking the first reported targeting of such water facilities in the Gulf during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The strikes raise growing concerns about the protection of essential civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law, which considers water systems critical to public health and survival during armed conflict.
Water desalination plants are a lifeline for Gulf countries, converting seawater into potable water through thermal and membrane-based technologies such as reverse osmosis. With the region’s arid climate and limited natural freshwater resources, desalination and groundwater together account for nearly 90 percent of water supplies.
The Gulf Cooperation Council states collectively hold roughly 60 percent of global desalination capacity and produce about 40 percent of the world’s desalinated water, making these facilities central to both human security and economic stability in one of the world’s most water-scarce regions.
Experts warn that targeting desalination infrastructure carries serious humanitarian implications, as disruption of water access could trigger public health crises, food insecurity and social panic in populations heavily dependent on desalinated water.
Meanwhile, Iran itself faces a mounting water crisis after prolonged drought severely depleted reservoirs in Tehran, reflecting the region’s broader vulnerability to water insecurity during escalating geopolitical tensions.
Glossary
Aquifer – An underground layer of rock or soil that stores and supplies groundwater.
Arid – Extremely dry with very little rainfall.
Blatant – something bad is done in an open, shameless, and very obvious way.
Civilian infrastructure – Basic facilities and systems used by the public, such as water plants, hospitals, roads, and electricity networks.
Conflict – A serious disagreement or armed struggle between countries or groups.
Consequences – Results or effects of an action or event, often negative.
Desalination – The process of removing salt and impurities from seawater to make it safe for drinking or use.
Desalination facility/plant – A place where seawater is treated to remove salt and produce fresh water.
Disruption – An interruption that stops something from working normally.
Drone strike – An attack carried out using an unmanned aircraft controlled remotely.
Economic stability – A condition where a country’s economy functions smoothly without major financial crises.
Escalating – Increasing in intensity, seriousness, or scale.
Freshwater – Water that is not salty and is suitable for drinking or agriculture.
Groundwater – Water stored underground in soil or rocks.
Gulf - The Gulf Arab states, are a group of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf, including Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Human Security - a people-centered approach focusing on protecting individuals from key threats such as economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political rather than just protecting state borders
Humanitarian – Related to protecting human welfare, safety, and dignity.
Humanitarian implications – Effects that influence human well-being, safety, and living conditions.
Infrastructure – The basic physical systems that support a society, such as water supply, electricity, and transportation.
International humanitarian law – A set of international rules that aim to limit the effects of armed conflict and protect civilians.
Membrane-based technology – A filtration method that uses a thin barrier (membrane) to separate substances, such as salt from water.
Potable – Safe and suitable for drinking.
Public health crisis – A serious situation where the health of many people is at risk.
Reverse osmosis – A water purification process where pressure forces water through a membrane to remove salts and impurities.
Thermal - anything relating to, caused by, or producing heat.
Vulnerability – A condition of being exposed to possible harm or damage.
References