Kuwait says Iran hit power, desalination plant

July 17, 2026

1–2 minutes

Summary

Kuwait said an Iranian strike damaged a power and desalination plant, raising concerns about water supplies.

Why this matters

Kuwait depends on desalination for about 90% of its drinking water, making damage to such facilities a public safety concern. The attack also underscored the risk that the wider U.S.-Iran conflict could disrupt critical infrastructure across the Gulf.

Kuwait said Friday that Iran attacked a power and water desalination plant, causing widespread damage.

Kuwait’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said the attack sparked a fire and caused “damage to a large number of electricity generation units.”

The ministry said firefighters extinguished the blaze and crews were assessing the damage and working to restore operations.

The announcement came as fighting continued across the region after the collapse of an interim ceasefire agreed to last month.

Earlier Friday, Iran launched missile attacks at U.S.-allied countries in the Middle East, including Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Jordan’s military said it intercepted three incoming missiles. In Qatar, authorities twice warned residents to take shelter, and the Interior Ministry said falling debris wounded a child.

The United States also expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran overnight into Friday. Iranian state television said strikes on bridges in Hormozgan province killed at least seven people. Iran’s Energy Ministry also acknowledged “attacks on power infrastructure” and urged people in southern provinces to reduce electricity use.

At Iran’s Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, the state-run IRNA news agency said a U.S. strike caused a tower to collapse. The U.S. military’s Central Command said it hit dozens of targets in strikes that ended at dawn Friday.

As of 6 a.m. Friday, U.S. strikes had killed at least 38 people and wounded more than 400 in Iran, Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said.

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