US President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of targeting Iran’s water purification facilities as part of the ongoing conflict with Tehran, alarming several Gulf allies. These countries expressed deep concern that such attacks would constitute war crimes under international law, which prohibits strikes on civilian infrastructure. Regional sources told CNN that Gulf states have privately warned the Trump administration against such actions, fearing devastating retaliatory attacks.

Andrew Friedman, director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cautioned that even threatening actions that could amount to war crimes unsettles allied nations, as they do not want to be complicit in such acts. The report noted that Iran has previously retaliated against US allies in the Gulf following US-Israeli strikes, and many Gulf nations rely heavily on desalination plants for drinking water.

Experts warned that if Iran responds by attacking Gulf desalination facilities, it could trigger a severe humanitarian crisis. Despite private warnings, no Gulf state has publicly opposed Trump’s stance, leaving the regional conflict increasingly volatile and complex.