Iranian Drone Strikes Cripple Kuwait’s Power and Desalination Facilities, Escalating Gulf Tensions

Iranian drone attacks on Sunday inflicted serious damage on two of Kuwait's power and water desalination plants and sparked a fire at the Shuwaikh Oil Sector Complex, though no injuries were reported.

Fatima Abbas Johar Hayat, spokesperson for Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, described the incident as “criminal aggression” that caused “serious material damage” and forced the shutdown of two electricity‑generating units.

Al Jazeera’s Malika Traina highlighted the strategic importance of the facilities, noting that around 90 % of Kuwait’s drinking water is produced by these desalination plants, making the disruption a critical blow to the nation’s water security.

The strikes come as Gulf states bear the brunt of Tehran’s retaliation to recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have become the epicentre of these assaults, according to Al Jazeera’s Victoria Gatenby in Doha.

Gatenby warned that if President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu follow through on threats to intensify pressure on Iran, Tehran may target similar civilian and energy infrastructure across the Gulf.

Bahrain also suffered drone attacks, with its Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co reporting damage to several operational units and Bapco Energies confirming a hit on an oil storage tank. Both incidents caused fires that were quickly extinguished, and no casualties were reported.

In Abu Dhabi, authorities responded to multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemical plant, attributing them to falling debris from an interception. Operations were suspended pending a damage assessment, but no injuries have been confirmed.

Saudi Arabia announced the interception of missiles early Sunday, underscoring the heightened military alert across the region.

Gatenby noted that while Iran claims it is only targeting US military assets, the pattern over the past five weeks shows a broader focus on civilian and critical energy infrastructure. Gulf nations have exercised “incredible restraint,” yet their leaders caution that patience is not unlimited and that Saudi Arabia is invoking its right to self‑defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The escalating series of attacks highlights the fragile security environment in the Gulf and raises concerns about the resilience of essential services such as power and water supply amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.