Drone Strike Hits UAE's Barakah Nuclear Plant
Al Jazeera Staff
A drone strike caused a fire in the outer perimeter of the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant. Authorities confirmed normal radiation levels and said operations were unaffected.
A drone attack set ablaze the outer perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, raising concerns of a new regional escalation amid a fragile Iran-US ceasefire.
Abu Dhabi authorities said the fire erupted at an external generator outside the plant's inner area in the Al Dhafra region on Sunday (the day of the incident). No casualties were reported, and officials affirmed that radiation levels remained normal.
The UAE's nuclear regulator stated that operations at the plant — the first nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula — were unaffected. “All units are operating normally,” the agency announced on social media.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, and the UAE has not publicly blamed any nation.
In a subsequent statement, the UAE Defense Ministry said air defenses had “successfully” neutralized two drones, while a third struck a generator near the plant. The ministry added that the drones originated from the “western border,” but provided no further details, stating that investigations were ongoing to determine the attack's origin.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the incident forced one reactor to temporarily rely on emergency diesel generators. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi expressed “deep concern” and warned that military activity threatening nuclear facilities was “unacceptable.”
The plant is located near the border with Saudi Arabia, about 225 kilometers west of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. The UAE has suffered multiple missile and drone strikes by Iran since the US and Israel began airstrikes on Iran on February 28.
Despite a US-Iran ceasefire announced on April 8, drone attacks on the UAE have continued. Last week, UAE officials accused Iran of launching missiles and drones at the port city of Fujairah. Three Indian nationals were injured, and a fire broke out at an oil facility in the Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone.
Iran had previously warned that countries hosting US military bases or having interests linked to Israel could become targets. Iran recently accused the UAE of strengthening ties with Israel, amid reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a “secret” visit to the Gulf state during the conflict — a claim the UAE has denied.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also said last week that Israel had deployed its Iron Dome air defense system and personnel to the UAE to help protect against potential Iranian attacks. In a statement Friday, the UAE Foreign Ministry rejected what it called Iran's attempts to justify attacks on UAE territory, while affirming the right to respond to all threats.
