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Desalination Plants: Water, Not Oil, Is the Key Strategic Commodity In the Iran War | EXPLAINED

| Mar 10, 2026, 05:42:09 PM | TOI.in
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The world is fixated on oil prices and tanker routes — but the most immediate danger of the Iran war may have nothing to do with energy markets. Across the Arabian Gulf, cities like Dubai, Kuwait City, and Manama run almost entirely on desalinated seawater. Over 400 coastal plants convert the sea into drinking water for tens of millions of people. Without them, taps run dry within days.Strikes have already hit near major desalination facilities in the UAE, Bahrain, and Oman. Both Iran and the United States have accused each other of targeting water infrastructure. And experts warn that if desalination plants become legitimate targets, the region faces a humanitarian catastrophe that no oil reserve can fix.

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US KC-135 Crash: Six Fallen Soldiers Identified In Tragic Mid-Air Incident Over Iraq Amid Iran War

The United States has released the identities of six service members killed in the crash of a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in western Iraq on March 12. The victims include John Klinner (33) of Alabama, Ariana Savino (31) of Washington, Ashley Pruitt (34) of Kentucky, Seth Koval (38) of Indiana, Curtis Angst (30) of Ohio, and Tyler Simmons (28) of Ohio. According to the United States Department of Defense, the tanker aircraft went down near Turaibil along the Iraqi-Jordanian border following an incident involving two aircraft operating in friendly airspace. The second tanker reportedly landed safely in Israel. The crash is currently under investigation, although the Iran-aligned militia group Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for shooting down the aircraft.

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