A drone struck an electrical generator on the outer perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region on Sunday, May 17, sparking a fire that emergency teams contained without injuries or any impact on radiation levels. The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the strike as an “unprovoked terrorist attack” and a “dangerous escalation,” according to a ministry statement. No group claimed responsibility, and the UAE did not publicly attribute blame.
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that three unmanned aerial vehicles entered the country from the western border that morning. Air defence systems intercepted two of the drones, the ministry said in a statement, but the third struck an electrical generator located outside the inner perimeter of the plant. A fire broke out and was extinguished by emergency response teams. The ministry announced that investigations were under way to determine the origin of the attack and that further details would be released once inquiries were completed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the strike in stark terms. The attack “constitutes a dangerous escalation, an unacceptable act of aggression, and a direct threat to the country’s security,” the ministry statement read. It added that targeting peaceful nuclear energy facilities was “a flagrant violation of international law, the UN charter, and the principles of humanitarian law,” given the risks such acts pose to civilians and the environment.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, condemned the attack as a “treacherous terrorist attack” and spoke directly with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi on Sunday, Dubai Eye 103.8 reported. The call came as international alarm over the safety of the Barakah facility mounted across governments and multilateral bodies.
Grossi expressed what he described as “grave concern about the incident” and issued an unambiguous statement, according to The National. “Military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable,” he said, calling on all parties for “maximum military restraint near any nuclear power plant to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident.” The IAEA confirmed it was following the situation closely and was “in constant contact with UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed,” per a post on the agency’s official account on X.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) confirmed that the fire had no effect on the plant’s safety or the operational readiness of its core systems, and that all units at the Barakah facility were operating normally, Khaleej Times reported. Emergency diesel generators supplied power to Unit 3 of the plant following the incident, the IAEA stated. Radiation levels at the site remained normal throughout.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office urged residents to rely on official sources for information and said all precautionary measures had been implemented.
Barakah is the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant. The facility comprises four APR1400 reactor units in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi’s Western Desert, near the border with Saudi Arabia. Together the four reactors generate approximately 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity — around 40 terawatt hours of clean power annually — and avoid an estimated 22.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, according to The National. The plant began commercial full-fleet operations in September 2024 after a phased start-up spanning several years. Sunday’s strike was the first drone-related incident at or near the facility since the wider regional conflict escalated, Khaleej Times reported.
The attack came against the backdrop of a conflict that began on February 28, when Iran launched strikes across the Gulf in response to US-Israeli military operations. A conditional ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran on April 8 halted hostilities for several weeks, The National reported. Iran resumed strikes on the Emirates earlier in May after the ceasefire broke down. Euronews reported that negotiations between Iran and the United States over a renewed ceasefire remained stalled at the time of the Barakah attack, raising fears that the conflict could intensify further.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said investigations to identify the source of the drones were ongoing and pledged to release further findings once completed. The armed forces previously vowed a firm response to threats targeting UAE infrastructure, The National reported. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that relevant international standards and agreements, including IAEA principles and resolutions, must be upheld — language that signals the UAE intends to raise the matter through multilateral channels. IAEA Director General Grossi’s direct call with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed on Sunday indicated that the agency was already engaged at the highest level. No timeline for formal findings or a diplomatic response had been announced by Sunday evening.
