Environmental experts say the Gulf war could produce severe, long-lasting damage to air, land and marine ecosystems. The conflict escalated after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, and sustained bombing has ignited fires at oil and industrial sites. That damage may spread beyond the immediate conflict zone through smoke, oil and chemical contamination.
Early March airstrikes on energy infrastructure near Tehran started massive fires and black smoke plumes. Reported targets included oil storage depots and fuel transport networks in Tehran and Alborz province, and later larger facilities such as the South Pars gas field and the Asaluyeh refinery. Retaliatory strikes and wider attacks affected energy infrastructure in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Experts warn that bombing and fires release many pollutants that travel by wind and water. Alaaeddin Alsbaiee of BASF Chemicals lists nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, hazardous organic compounds, carbon smoke and fine particles smaller than PM2.5. The World Health Organization has warned about pollution from burning fuel depots, and reports of "black rain" suggest hazardous compounds are in the atmosphere. Richard Marcantonio cautioned that some contaminants may persist in the environment for generations, while oil leaks can reduce oxygen in water, harm fish and weaken soil fertility.
Heavy reliance on desalination in the Gulf increases the risk to critical water supplies. Mohamed Dawoud of the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency says oil spills can reach desalination intakes within hours or days, clog membranes, reduce efficiency and force temporary shutdowns; a previous study supports how quickly spills can reach plant intakes. Panagiotis Kosmopoulos recommends real-time monitoring with satellites and ground stations so authorities and organisations can assess pollution and act to protect public health and vital water infrastructure.
- Nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides
- Carbon monoxide and organic compounds
- Carbon smoke and fine PM2.5 particles
Difficult words
- ecosystem — community of living things and their environmentecosystems
- contamination — presence of harmful substances in environment
- intake — opening where water enters a plantintakes
- pollution — harmful material in air, water, or soil
- infrastructure — basic systems and services for a region
- membrane — thin layer used to filter liquidsmembranes
- refinery — factory where crude oil is processed
- plume — column or spread of gas or smokeplumes
- persist — continue to exist for a long time
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might smoke, oil and chemical contamination spread damage beyond the immediate conflict zone? Give examples from the article.
- What short-term and long-term problems could people face if desalination plants are forced to shut down?
- What actions should authorities prioritise to protect public health and water infrastructure, based on the article's recommendations?
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