A drone strike triggered a fire outside the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on Sunday, according to authorities in the United Arab Emirates.
Officials said the incident occurred in an electrical generator located outside the plant’s inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
In a statement, the Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed that emergency teams responded swiftly to contain the fire and reported that no injuries were recorded.
Authorities also stated that there was no impact on radiation or nuclear safety levels at the facility.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said the incident did not affect the plant’s operational systems or overall safety, adding that all units at the facility continue to function normally.
The Barakah plant, which began operations in 2020, is located about 200 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi near the borders with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The facility is operated by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company and supplies roughly a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, expressed concern over the attack, stressing that military activity threatening nuclear safety is unacceptable.
The IAEA also reiterated the importance of protecting nuclear facilities from conflict-related incidents.
Authorities did not disclose the origin of the drone involved in the strike.
However, the incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region following recent accusations by the UAE against Iran over attacks targeting regional energy infrastructure.
Regional tensions escalated after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran earlier this year, leading to retaliatory attacks across the region.
Although Washington and Tehran agreed to a truce in April, diplomatic negotiations have since stalled, with sporadic attacks continuing in parts of the Middle East.
