this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2026
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The UAE struck an Iranian desalination facility in response to continued attacks; Israeli officials view the strike as a signal, saying the UAE may join the war if Iranian attacks escalate

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[–] Corporal_Punishment@feddit.uk 39 points 5 days ago

And now there's nothing stopping Iran from targeting the UAE's desalination plants.

Considering the UAE gets over 90% of its fresh water from desalination it seems like this was a monumentally stupid escalation on their part.

[–] giacomo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 37 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Is this actually true?

Edit: Having trouble finding any other source that confirms this. I think this is probably false.

[–] scarabic@lemmy.world 29 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Actually good point. All I find on GroundNews is three reports of UAE debunking this claim. Example: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-officials-deny-israeli-reports-strike-inside-iran

[–] gergolippai@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago

There should be an automated warning for all these posts for readers to double check the information... fog of war and such like

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 34 points 5 days ago

This really wasn't on my bingo card for opening of the water wars.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 22 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Nobody should target desalination plants.

It's even worse than targeting heating and power in the middle of harsh winter.

As for Persian Gulf countries, they are dangerously dependent on desalination for fresh water.

About 42 percent of the UAE’s drinking water comes from desalination plants, while that figure is 90 percent in Kuwait, 86 percent in Oman, and 70 percent in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also produces more desalinated water than any other country.

Iran is the least dependent with about 30% of fresh water coming from desalination. I would not be surprised if Bahrain would be 100% dependent.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/8/how-targeting-of-desalination-plants-could-disrupt-water-supply-in-the-gulf

[–] LMurch@thelemmy.club 22 points 5 days ago

You guys better stop this warring, or the US will be forced to send in our peacemaker, FIFA Peace Prize winner Donald J. Trump. /s

[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 19 points 5 days ago

That's a war crime.

[–] choui4@lemmy.zip 20 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Jfc iran was alresdy suffering under a lack of water. Thats fucking genocidal

[–] scarabic@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yeah seriously. This kind of thing is really terrifying. This is why we’ll never make it into space. Being in space requires so much effort just to stay alive. The second anyone wants to kill anyone up there, everyone’s dead as hell.

[–] choui4@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 days ago

We can never have luxury gay space communism until the adromodans are eliminated

[–] PointyFluff@lemmy.ml 6 points 5 days ago

If not WW3, why WW3 shaped?