Attacks on desalination plants erode taboo against targeting water infrastructure

Strikes on facilities in Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iran during recent conflicts have broken longstanding norms protecting civilian water systems, placing tens of millions at risk.

Why it mattersGulf states depend on a small number of coastal desalination plants that supply the overwhelming majority of drinking water. In Qatar, more than 99 percent of potable water comes from desalination. Attacks on these facilities could trigger immediate humanitarian catastrophe for millions of civilians.

The big pictureIsraeli authorities disconnected Gaza's South Sea desalination plant from the electric grid in early March 2026, putting hundreds of thousands at risk. In late 2024, Israeli attacks damaged over 45 water networks in Lebanon, impacting nearly 497,000 residents. Iranian missile strikes on 9 March 2026 targeted the Hidd desalination complex in Bahrain and storage facilities in Fujairah.

Between the linesThe Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure consolidates legal obligations and good practices, but not all parties to contemporary conflicts are signatories to Additional Protocol I. A critical challenge lies in the uneven application of these norms across different theatres of conflict.

• Gaza disconnection: Israel cut the South Sea desalination plant from the grid in early March 2026.
• Lebanon damage: Over 45 water networks were damaged in late 2024, affecting nearly 497,000 residents.
• Bahrain strike: Iranian missiles hit the Hidd desalination complex on 9 March 2026.