Beyond Oil: War Could Threaten the Gulf’s Water Supply

The Persian Gulf is widely known as one of the world’s most important oil-producing regions.

But for millions of people living across its desert coastline, another resource is just as essential: desalinated water.

Across Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia, hundreds of desalination plants convert seawater into freshwater for drinking, industry and daily life.

In Kuwait, roughly 90% of drinking water comes from desalination, while Oman relies on it for about 86% of its supply and Saudi Arabia for around 70%. The process typically uses technologies such as reverse osmosis, pushing seawater through ultrafine membranes to remove salt and produce usable freshwater.

Because these plants are often located along the coast and connected to power stations, experts say the systems can be vulnerable during conflict or other disruptions. Recent strikes in the region have landed near major desalination facilities, highlighting how closely critical water infrastructure sits to strategic ports and energy hubs.

Analysts warn that if key desalination plants were knocked offline, some Gulf cities could lose most of their drinking water within days.