Drone strike causes fire at UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant

Published 05/16/2026Published May 16, 2026

No party has claimed responsibility for the strike on the Barakah nuclear power plant, but Iran has repeatedly launched attacks on the UAE since the start of the war. Follow DW for more.

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Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

A drone strike has caused a fire on the perimeter of Abu Dhabi's Barakah nuclear power plant

Big crowds gathered in London to mark Nakba Day, which marks the mass displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war

European countries in discussion with Tehran over Hormuz transits, Iran state TV reports

Keep reading for the latest updates on news regarding the Middle East as well as the Iran war on May 16 and 17, 2026, here:

Skip next section UN watchdog voices 'grave concern' over strike near UAE nuclear plant

05/17/2026May 17, 2026

UN watchdog voices 'grave concern' over strike near UAE nuclear plant

The UN nuclear watchdog said it was "following the situation closely" at Abu Dhabi's Barakah nuclear power plant after a drone strike caused a fire at the site's perimeter.

"Emergency diesel generators are currently providing power to the (nuclear power plant's) unit 3," the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on X.

"The IAEA is following the situation closely and is in constant contact with the UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed," it added.

It went on to say that IAEA head Rafael Grossi "expresses grave concern about the incident and says military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable."

Grossi also called for "maximum military restraint" near nuclear power plants to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident, the X post said.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DsO6

Skip next section Strike sparks fire at Abu Dhabi nuclear power plant

05/17/2026May 17, 2026

Strike sparks fire at Abu Dhabi nuclear power plant

A fire broke out following a drone strike on a nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, authorities in the United Arab Emirates said Sunday.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office said the drone hit an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant in the Al Dhafra region.

"No injuries were reported, and there was no impact on radiological safety levels," it added.

The Federal Authority ​for ⁠Nuclear Regulation confirmed that the ⁠plant's ​essential systems were operating normally.

There was no claim of responsibility for the strike, and UAE authorities also did not blame any party for the attack.

It is the first time the four-reactor Barakah plant has been targeted in the Iran war. The facility is the only nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula.

Sunday's strike comes amid a fragile ceasefire in the conflict between the US and Iran.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DsKF

Skip next section Welcome to Sunday's coverage

05/17/2026May 17, 2026

Welcome to Sunday's coverage

Dmytro Hubenko Editor

Good afternoon and thanks for joining us.

A drone strike has caused a fire outside a nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, according to authorities in the United Arab Emirates.

There were no reports of injuries and the plant was reported to be operating as normal.

A shaky ceasefire is still in place between the US and Iran, although talks for a long-term solution to the conflict have stalled.

Meanwhile, Israel struck targets eastern and southern Lebanon on Sunday morning, according to Lebanese state media.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DsJq

Skip next section Putin discusses Iran with UAE president, Kremlin says

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

Putin discusses Iran with UAE president, Kremlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Iran ‌conflict ⁠with ⁠his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates, ​Mohammed bin Zayed ​Al Nahyan, ​the ‌Kremlin said in a statement on ‌Saturday.

"Both sides emphasised ‌the ​importance of continuing the political and diplomatic ​process aimed at reaching compromise-based peace ⁠agreements," ​it ​said.

The UAE was the main target of Iranian missile and drone attacks during the regional war sparked by US and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February.

The conflict has rocked the wealthy UAE, cutting off most oil exports and damaging its image as a safe haven that helped it become the region's financial hub.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DqYj

Skip next section Pakistan's interior minister arrives in Tehran, local media reports

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

Pakistan's interior minister arrives in Tehran, local media reports

Pakistan's interior minister on Saturday arrived in Tehran in a bid to revive stalled peace talks between Iran and the United States, Iranian media reported.

"Mohsin Naqvi arrived today in the Islamic Republic of Iran on an official two-day visit as part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to facilitate talks and promote regional peace," the Tasnim news agency reported.

Islamabad has been actively mediating in the peace negotiations between Iran and the US. It hosted a high-stakes meeting between both sides last month, which ended without a breakthrough.

The fragile ceasefire has largely paused the fighting that erupted following US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran had received messages from Washington indicating that President Donald Trump's administration was willing to continue talks.

Meanwhile, Iran's chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said on Tuesday that Washington should accept Tehran's proposal for peace afterTrump rejected an Iranian counteroffer.

"There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another," Qalibaf said in a social media post.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DqYg

Skip next section WATCH — Israel says Hamas armed wing chief killed in Gaza strike

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

WATCH — Israel says Hamas armed wing chief killed in Gaza strike

Nita Blake-Persen

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed Hamas commander Izz al‑Din al‑Haddad, sparking fires and leaving seven dead, according to local officials. The attack came despite a ceasefire that residents say exists "only on paper."

Al-Haddad, whom Israel has linked to planning the October 7 attacks, was buried as Israel and Hamas traded accusations of violating truce terms. More than 72,700 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began.

Israel says Hamas armed wing chief killed

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https://p.dw.com/p/5DqYl

Skip next section Israel says it killed Hamas military wing commander

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

Israel says it killed Hamas military wing commander

Israel's military said it had killed the chief of Hamas' military wing in an air strike on Gaza the previous day.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed on Friday, Israel’s army said, describing him as one of the senior Hamas military commanders who directed the planning and execution of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw more than 250 taken hostage.

Israel then launched its two-year war in Gaza in which 72,700 people were killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Hamas confirmed al-Haddad's death. A source within the militant group, which Israel, Germany and other countries list as a terrorist organization, told the AFP news agency he was killed alongside his wife and daughter.

His body was wrapped in Hamas and Palestinian flags as it was carried by mourners at Saturday's funeral in Gaza City.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Dq4t

Skip next section Israel strikes southern Lebanon despite ceasefire extension

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

Israel strikes southern Lebanon despite ceasefire extension

Israel launched new airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, a day after the US announced a 45-day extension of the ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese government following talks in Washington.

Israel says it is targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) have begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military said.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes on at least five villages in the south, preceded by an exodus of residents toward the southern city of Sidon and the capital Beirut.

Strikes in Lebanon raise questions over attacks on medics

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The ceasefire announcement by the US on Friday didn't include the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.

"The United States remains cognizant of the challenges posed by Hezbollah’s continued attacks on Israel, without the consent or approval of the Government of Lebanon, undertaken in order to derail this process," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

The Israeli military maintains that they've been targeting Hezbollah's operations in southern Lebanon to protect Israeli citizens.

More than 2,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since it was dragged into the wider Middle East conflict on March 2, including more than 400 since the truce took effect in mid-April, according to Lebanese authorities.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Dq2z

Skip next section European countries in talks with Tehran over Hormuz transits, Iran state TV reports

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

European countries in talks with Tehran over Hormuz transits, Iran state TV reports

Iranian state television said on Saturday that European countries had been in talks with Tehran regarding the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has blocked traffic through the critical waterway since the US and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February. Tehran has refused to open the waterway until the US lifts a naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports.

"Following the passage of ships from East Asian countries notably China, Japan and Pakistan we received information today indicating that Europeans have also begun negotiations with the Revolutionary Guards navy" to get permission to pass through, state television reported, without specifying which countries.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Dq3g

Skip next section Protesters gather in central London for Nakba Day rally

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

Protesters gather in central London for Nakba Day rally

Thousands of people have descended on central London for two separate rallies amid a heavy security presence.

One of the demonstrations is the Nakba Day rally, which is an annual protest organized by a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups.

"Nakba" means "catastrophe" in Arabic and marks the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli war which led to the establishment of the state of Israel. The war destroyed hundreds of Palestinian villages and forcibly displaced Palestinian communities.

The day continues to shape Palestinian identity and has taken on renewed urgency against the background of the two-yearGaza war.

London's Metropolitan Police said in an update in the afternoon that it has arrested 11 people for a "variety of offenses" so far, but did not specify how many arrests were linked to the pro-Palestine march.

There is also a parallel rally taking place in London with a very different purpose. Organized by far-right leader Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon, the "Unite the Kingdom" march has also attracted thousands of people.

Robinson founded the nationalist and anti-Islam English Defense League and is one of the most influential far-right figures in Britain.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DpwE

Skip next section Welcome to our blog

05/16/2026May 16, 2026

Welcome to our blog

Roshni Majumdar | Rana Taha Editor

Good afternoon and thank you for joining.

We're tracking developments related to the Nakba Day demonstration in London, as many police officers have been deployed to monitor the rally.

The British capital is on high alert because the demonstration takes place as another far-right rally called by anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson is also held.

Meanwhile in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike has killed the leader of Hamas' military wing, whom Israel has described as one of the last surviving architects of the October 7, 2023, attacks that triggered the two-year war in the enclave.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Dq4z

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