Iran Attacks Kuwaiti Power Facilities, Exacerbating Middle East Conflict
Iran attacked Kuwaiti water and power facilities in retaliation against the United States on Friday (July 17). This attack demonstrates the worsening conflict in the Middle East and the increasing risk to civilian infrastructure.
The Kuwaiti government said a desalination facility and a power plant were hit on Friday. Several units were damaged, while local authorities are working to restore the affected facilities and have extinguished fires caused by the attack.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity and Water urged citizens to conserve electricity to reduce pressure on the grid. This is a concern as Kuwait is facing extreme temperatures, expected to reach 50 degrees Celsius over the weekend, which typically increase electricity demand.
The attack was part of a series of Iranian attacks against Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Oman from the previous night through Friday. Most of the missiles and large drones were said to have targeted US bases in the region. However, Iran has not confirmed that it targeted Kuwaiti civilian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Iran also said several power supply facilities in the southern region of the country were attacked. This area has been a focus of US attacks in recent days. Washington stated that its attacks primarily targeted Iranian military infrastructure, such as missiles, drones, and radar, to pressure Tehran to halt attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
In terms of market impact, the widespread attacks on civilian facilities and the Gulf energy sector could raise concerns about the stability of energy supplies. If the escalation continues, oil prices could remain high, the risk of global inflation rising again, and risk assets such as stocks and cryptocurrencies could be under pressure. Meanwhile, the US dollar and gold fluctuated as markets sought refuge amidst geopolitical tensions. (asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
