U.N. warns Middle East strikes risk severe environmental fallout
March 10 – The United Nations warned on Monday that recent attacks on oil facilities and desalination plants during the escalating Middle East conflict could trigger serious environmental consequences, threatening air quality, safe drinking water and food security across the region.
The warning came from the office of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, which said damage to energy and water infrastructure could intensify humanitarian risks as hostilities continue.
Speaking at a press briefing, U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the organization was increasingly alarmed by reports of attacks targeting oil infrastructure.
“We continue to raise the alarm over the humanitarian impact of escalating violence across parts of the Middle East, which is driving rising civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure and growing displacement of people,” Dujarric said.
He added that strikes on oil facilities could have “serious environmental consequences” across the region, with potential immediate effects on air quality, access to safe drinking water and food supplies.
The concerns come after Ministry of Interior Bahrain reported on Sunday that an Iranian drone attack damaged a water desalination plant in Bahrain.
Desalination plants are critical infrastructure for Gulf states, supplying much of the region’s drinking water and supporting economic activity in countries with limited freshwater resources.
Dujarric said the United Nations was urging all parties involved in the conflict to take precautions to protect civilians and essential infrastructure.
“We reiterate again that all possible precautions must be taken to protect civilians from the impact of hostilities and to avoid damage to health facilities, schools, water systems and other essential infrastructure,” Dujarric said.
The warning follows a series of recent attacks on energy installations linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Several oil facilities in Iran were targeted by Israeli strikes on Sunday, while Iran has also launched attacks on oil facilities elsewhere in the region.
