Bahrain says water desalination plant damaged in Iranian drone attack 

Bahrain says the latest Iranian attacks on the country have damaged a water desalination plant and injured three people as Tehran continues its air campaign against its Gulf neighbours.

In a statement on X, the Bahraini Ministry of Interior said an Iranian drone attack on Sunday morning damaged the desalination plant, which processes seawater to supply freshwater to residents.

“The Iranian aggression randomly bombs civilian targets and causes material damage to a water desalination plant following an attack by a drone,” the ministry statement said.

Iran said it was the United States that set a precedent for such attacks when it targeted a water desalination plant on Iranian soil.

“The US committed a blatant and desperate crime by attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X on Saturday.

“Water supply in 30 villages has been impacted. Attacking Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences. The US set this precedent, not Iran.”

The approximately 400 plants in the Gulf states, which are mainly powered by oil and gas, produce about 40 percent of the world’s desalinated water. Bahrain is estimated to generate the majority of its drinking water from such plants.

In a separate announcement, the Bahraini Interior Ministry said three people were injured and a university building in northern Bahrain was damaged when fragments of an Iranian missile fell there.

Sirens were activated in the Muharraq area in the morning, alerting the public to take shelter, the ministry said on X.

The injuries and damage occurred when missile debris fell near a university building in Muharraq.

Iran has made widespread use of drones in the war against the US and Israel, which is in its ninth day.

Kuwait’s military on Sunday said its air defence systems intercepted more missiles and drones from Iran.

“Kuwaiti air defences are currently engaging hostile missile and drone attacks,” the military said in a post on X.

Fuel tanks at Kuwait’s international airport were targeted in a drone attack, the military said. The official Kuwait News Agency said a fire at the airport was brought under control, reporting no “significant injuries”.

The military called the Iranian drone attack “a direct targeting of vital infrastructure”.

A separate statement said “some civilian facilities sustained material damage as a result of falling fragments and debris from interception operations”.

Separately, the country’s Interior Ministry said two of its officers were killed “while performing duties”. It did not provide details on the circumstances of their deaths.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that Iran would be “forced to respond” against neighbouring countries if their territory is used to attack it.

On Saturday, the Iranian leader had apologised to neighbouring countries hosting US military bases for attacks on their territory.

He then said his remarks were “misinterpreted by the enemy that seeks to sow division with neighbours”, state TV reported on Sunday, after they were viewed as a decision to suspend attacks on Gulf countries while the strikes did not stop.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also reported more Iranian attacks on Saturday and Sunday.