Drone strike causes fire at UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant
Quick Look
- A drone strike caused a fire at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE.
- Two of three drones entering from the western border were intercepted, but the third hit a generator outside the inner perimeter.
- No injuries or radiological release reported; plant operations are normal.
AI-generated summary
A drone strike caused a fire on the perimeter at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi officials said Sunday.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), responded to the incident with a statement saying “military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable.”
Grossi called for “maximum military restraint near any [nuclear power plant] to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident.”
There have been no reports of injuries or radiological release.
No one has claimed responsibility for the strike and the UAE has not blamed anyone.
The country’s defense ministry wrote on X that three drones had entered the UAE from the “western border direction” on Sunday. Two were intercepted, but the third drone struck an electrical generator “outside the inner perimeter” of the power plant.
The defense ministry said in a statement that investigations were under way “to determine the source of the attacks.”
The incident comes as regional tensions around the Iran ceasefire remain active. Tensions with Iran have been rising in recent weeks following repeated drone and missile attacks linked to the wider regional conflict.
Ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States also remain stalled.
The UAE’s nuclear regulator said on X that the fire isn’t impacting the safety of the plant and that “all units are operating as normal.”
