A drone strike targeted the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra Region on Sunday, setting an electrical generator ablaze on its perimeter. According to Abu Dhabi Media Office, authorities responded to a fire incident that broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the nuclear facility. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though suspicion immediately fell on Iran, which has been increasingly threatening the UAE over recent days. The incident marks the first time the four-reactor Barakah plant has been targeted during the ongoing Iran war. Authorities confirmed there was no radiological release nor injuries from the strike, as reported by Abu Dhabi Media Office.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) confirmed that all units are operating as normal and the fire incident had no impact on the nuclear power plant's safety or the preparedness of its vital systems. As reported by Abu Dhabi Media Office, the UAE's nuclear regulator stated that the fire didn't impact the plant safety, with the organization writing on X that all units are operating as normal. Officials emphasized that every safety precaution was taken during the response to the fire incident. The latest statement from Abu Dhabi media office confirmed that all precautionary measures have been taken and that no injuries were reported, with authorities reminding the public to obtain information from official sources only and avoid spreading rumours or unverified information.
The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the UAE with help from South Korea and went online in 2020. According to Associated Press, it's the first and only nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula and can provide a quarter of all the energy needs in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms. It's also the first commercial nuclear power plant in the Arab world and sits in the far western deserts of Abu Dhabi, near the border with Saudi Arabia. The UAE signed a strict deal with the U.S. known as a '123 agreement,' in which it agreed to give up domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent fuel to halt any proliferation fears. Its uranium comes from abroad.
The attack comes as Iran still maintains a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes through before the war, disrupting global energy supplies. As reported by Associated Press, talks between Iran and the U.S. are at a standstill as the shaky ceasefire threatens to collapse and tip the Middle East back into open warfare. Meanwhile, fire exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been rising in recent days, threatening a separate ceasefire there. Iranian state television has repeatedly aired segments with anchors holding Kalashnikov-style rifles in an effort to prepare the public for war. On Iranian state TV, presenters on at least two channels appeared armed during live programs, with one program showing Hossein Hosseini receiving basic firearms training from a member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
The incident represents a concerning trend as nuclear power plants increasingly find themselves targeted in wars, following similar attacks during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During the Iran war, Tehran repeatedly claimed its Bushehr nuclear power plant came under attack, though there was no direct damage to its Russian-run reactor nor any radiological release. There have been several instances of attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf countries over the past several weeks. According to UAE authorities, Tehran has carried out roughly 3,000 missile and drone attacks targeting the country and others in the region since the war broke out. U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested hostilities could resume, and America continues to block Iranian ports in response as negotiations to solidify the ceasefire have failed to advance.
