There’s a commodity even more vital than oil and gas in the Middle East — and it’s at risk as war heats up | CNN

On particularly bad, sleepless nights, Sofia finds herself worrying about whether the taps might run dry. “We are, at the end of the day, in a desert,” said the United Arab Emirates resident. Oil and gas may be at the heart of the economy, but water is “the basis of our survival.” As the Iran war escalates, so do her fears. “If I were to put myself in the shoes of the enemy, for lack of a better term … this is what I would target, our most valuable resources … I never thought that I could be in danger of not having potable water,” said Sofia, who asked that her real name not be used. She is not alone, concerns are growing across the region that one of its greatest strengths could become a target of war. The arid countries of the Gulf, including the UAE, are exceptionally dependent on desalination, the process of converting seawater into drinking water. It’s why this acutely water scarce region is home to lush golf courses, vast water parks and ski slopes; it’s also why it faces an increasingly alarming vulnerability. Bahraini officials said on Sunday an Iranian drone had damaged a desalination plant, although not affected water supplies. The attack followed Iran