UN Warns of Severe Environmental Risks in Middle East Amid Attacks on Oil, Water Facilities
UN Warns of Severe Environmental Risks in Middle East Amid Attacks on Oil, Water Facilities
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The United Nations has issued a warning over the potential environmental and humanitarian consequences of recent attacks on oil installations and water desalination plants in the Middle East, stressing that such assaults could directly affect air quality and the availability of potable water across several countries in the region.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during a press briefing that Secretary-General António Guterres’s office continues to highlight the risks stemming from escalating violence, particularly the targeting of critical infrastructure. He emphasized that damage to oil and water facilities could have far-reaching environmental impacts, including immediate effects on drinking water, air quality, and food supplies relied upon by local populations.
The warning comes after Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported that a major water desalination plant suffered damage from a drone attack. The ministry noted that the facility is a key component of the country’s drinking water supply and economic infrastructure.
Simultaneously, the region has seen retaliatory strikes on energy facilities, with reports of Israeli air raids on oil infrastructure in Iran, and Iranian attacks on regional oil facilities in response.
The UN called for urgent measures to protect civilians and prevent damage to vital infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water networks. Officials warned that continued attacks on these facilities could worsen both humanitarian and environmental crises in the Middle East, highlighting the urgent need for restraint and adherence to international norms protecting civilian infrastructure.
