A drone strike hit the perimeter of the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday, starting a fire that was quickly contained. Authorities reported no injuries, no radiological release and no disruption to plant operations.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, and the UAE did not assign blame in its initial statements. Emirati officials have in recent days accused Iran of launching multiple drone and missile attacks as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have increased. The UAE has hosted Israeli air-defence systems and personnel, and the United States is enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports amid stalled diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the strike caused a fire in an electrical generator and that one reactor was operating on emergency diesel generators. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the incident was of “grave concern,” stressing that military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable.
Barakah, a USD 20 billion complex built with South Korean assistance and brought online in 2020, is the Arab world’s first commercial nuclear power plant and supplies roughly one quarter of the UAE’s electricity. The UAE’s nuclear regulator said all units remained in normal operation.
The UAE’s civilian nuclear programme operates under a US “123” cooperation agreement that restricts domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing, and the country imports fuel. That arrangement contrasts with Iran’s nuclear programme, which Tehran says is peaceful but which has been accused by Western countries of pursuing enrichment levels close to weapons-grade and of limiting inspector access in the past.
The strike marks the first time the four-reactor Barakah site has been directly targeted since the broader regional war began. The plant sits near the Saudi border, about 225 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement previously said it had tried to strike Barakah during its construction phase in 2017, a claim Abu Dhabi denied.
Observers say the attack underscores how fragile the ceasefire and diplomatic efforts have become. There have been multiple recent incidents around the Strait of Hormuz and in the Persian Gulf, and talks between the US and Iran have stalled. Israeli and US officials are reportedly coordinating on contingency plans, and Israeli leaders have said they are prepared for renewed hostilities.
Iranian state media have shown presenters and others posing with weapons on air, and Iranian television has broadcast segments appearing to prepare the public for possible escalation. The strike on Barakah, along with clashes involving Iran-backed militias and exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, has heightened fears the conflict could widen and disrupt global energy markets.
International bodies and regional states have emphasized the importance of protecting nuclear facilities from military action. The IAEA reiterated its concern and called for measures to ensure nuclear safety amid rising hostilities.
