Middle East Wars: A Hidden Environmental Catastrophe Unfolds, Threatening Air, Water, and Health

Middle East Conflicts: The Overlooked Environmental Cost

As the confrontation in the Middle East intensifies, fears are mounting over catastrophic repercussions that extend far beyond the immediate battlegrounds. Modern warfare no longer merely devastates cities and infrastructure; its destructive impact now reaches air, water, and soil, leaving behind severe environmental damage that could threaten human health and ecosystems for decades to come.

A report by Al Jazeera, based on investigations by Ahmed Jarar, indicates that the region's conflict impacts are no longer limited to military and economic losses. They are increasingly manifesting as escalating environmental crises, with alarming rises in pollution levels and an expanding scope of associated health risks.

Air Pollution: Toxic Gases Blanket Cities

With every airstrike or explosion in conflict zones, the circle of environmental pollution in the region rapidly expands. Plumes of smoke and toxic chemicals ascend into the air, carrying long-term risks for human health and nature, particularly in Iran and neighboring countries affected by transboundary emissions.

In this context, Al Jazeera's data unit observed significant environmental changes in air quality following Israeli strikes that targeted oil depots and refineries in Iran's Tehran and Alborz provinces on March 9. The unit's analysis, relying on precise satellite data, revealed troubling findings.

This data uncovers a sharp and unprecedented increase in sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels, a prominent pollutant resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels. Its concentration rose by approximately fivefold compared to levels recorded before the attacks. Satellite images also showed a dense black cloud resembling a thick haze over the Tehran refinery, extending over an area of about five square kilometers, alongside another cloud detected over the Shahrān area north of the capital, covering approximately one square kilometer.

Sulfur dioxide is one of the most dangerous air pollutants associated with industrial operations and oil fires. Elevated concentrations in the air lead to respiratory tract irritation and narrowing of the airways, exacerbating asthma attacks and bronchitis. The danger of these emissions is particularly heightened for vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly, as well as individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions, who may be more severely affected by the deteriorating air quality in impacted areas.

Environmental changes were not limited to sulfur dioxide alone. Al Jazeera's data unit also recorded a 15% increase in ground-level ozone (tropospheric ozone) levels in Tehran and Alborz provinces during the same period. Ground-level ozone forms when pollutants emitted from smoke and combustion react with sunlight, creating a lung-irritating gas that can cause breathing difficulties and increased asthma attacks, further compounding health burdens on the population.

Water and Soil Contamination: A Long-Term Threat

Environmental damage is not confined to air pollution. The Conflict and Environment Observatory in London reports over 300 incidents of severe environmental harm in the region since the war erupted in late February. These incidents range from widespread fires in industrial and oil facilities to dangerous chemical spills, in addition to the contamination of water sources and soil in various parts of the Middle East, threatening food and water security.

Specifically in Tehran and Alborz, incidents of chemically contaminated rain were recorded, resulting from the interaction between industrial emissions and pollutants from the shelling. This led to thousands of reported cases of respiratory infections and chemical burns among residents. Specialists warn that these phenomena could become a recurring and chronic environmental problem if military operations continue, especially with the accumulation of pollutants in the lower atmosphere and their long-distance transport by winds.

At sea, concerns are growing over potential pollution in the Arabian Gulf, following attacks on approximately 12 oil tankers and commercial vessels during recent military operations. This raises serious fears of extensive oil spills that could harm fragile marine ecosystems. The Gulf is one of the world's most environmentally sensitive regions, where any large oil spill could threaten marine life, impact fisheries and coastlines, and have devastating economic repercussions for regional states dependent on marine resources.

Attacks on critical water infrastructure, such as desalination plants, also threaten drinking water sources for millions of people in the region, given that approximately 100 million individuals rely on these plants for fresh water, signaling a potential major humanitarian crisis.

The risks do not stop there. The effects of pollution also extend to soil and groundwater resources, where chemicals and burnt fuel can seep into the earth, causing long-term contamination that is difficult to remediate quickly. Environmental experts emphasize that addressing soil and groundwater pollution could take many years, in addition to exorbitant costs potentially reaching tens of billions of dollars to rehabilitate affected areas, representing an enormous economic burden added to the cost of warfare.