Iranian attack damages Kuwait power and desalination plant, kills worker

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An Iranian attack on a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait has killed one Indian worker and damaged a building at the site, according to Kuwaiti authorities, as regional tensions heighten amid the United States-Israeli war on Iran.

“A service building at a power and water desalination plant was attacked as part of the Iranian aggression against the State of Kuwait, resulting in the death of an Indian worker and significant material damage to the building,” Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity said in a statement on Monday.

Technical and emergency response teams were immediately sent to the site to deal with the aftermath of the attack and ensure the normal continuation of operations, it added.

There was no official comment from Iran, where state media quoted the Kuwaiti ministry as saying that there was extensive damage at the plant as a result of the attack.

Reporting from Kuwait City, Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina said Kuwait has been subjected to repeated attacks since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran more than a month ago.

“Just yesterday evening, the Defence Ministry said that 14 missiles and 12 drones were detected in Kuwaiti airspace, and several of those drones were targeting a military camp, where 10 servicemen were injured,” he said. “They have since been taken to the hospital and have received medical treatment.”

Regional escalations have continued to spike since the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which have killed more than 2,000 people – including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, several other top officials and at least 216 children, according to Iranian authorities – and destroyed critical infrastructure.

Iranian forces have hit back with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and regional countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure.

Iran has also effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas passes, in a move that has driven up energy ⁠prices and rattled financial markets.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said he would pause threatened attacks on Iranian energy plants for 10 days until April 6. Iran said it would respond with its own attacks on energy sites across the Gulf region if its facilities came under attack.

The war has exposed the vulnerability of critical water infrastructure in a region that is among the most water-scarce in the world.