Drone strike sparks fire at UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant as IAEA voices “grave concern”

A drone strike ignited a fire at the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi early on Sunday, the United Arab Emirates said, in an incident that drew an expression of “grave concern” from the global nuclear watchdog and underscored the fragility of a regional war with Iran.

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said the strike caused a fire in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the plant, in the Al Dhafra region west of Abu Dhabi. There were no injuries, and radiological safety levels were unaffected, it said.

All essential systems at the four-reactor facility continued to operate normally, the regulator added. Emergency diesel generators were supplying power to the plant’s Unit 3 after the fire disrupted part of the site’s electrical supply.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the agency had been informed by Emirati authorities that there were no radiation risks. He expressed “grave concern about the incident” and said that “military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable”.

No party immediately claimed responsibility for the strike, and the UAE did not assign blame. The incident came amid sharply escalating tensions in the Gulf, where drone and missile attacks linked to the wider conflict have multiplied in recent weeks.

The Barakah plant, the first nuclear power station in the Arab world, supplies a substantial share of the UAE’s electricity. Its four South Korean-designed APR-1400 reactors have a combined capacity of about 5,600 megawatts.

The attack landed as ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States remained stalled, and as a US and Israeli air campaign against Iran, accompanied by a naval blockade, continued into its fourth month.

Strikes on or near nuclear facilities have become a recurring concern for the IAEA during the conflict. The agency has repeatedly warned that attacks affecting power supplies or safety systems at such sites carry the risk of a radiological accident with consequences far beyond the immediate area.