A suspected drone strike triggered a fire at an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE’s Al Dhafra region, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office on Sunday.
Authorities said no injuries were reported and radiation safety levels remained normal after the incident. The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed that the plant’s critical systems continued to operate normally despite the fire. Officials did not identify who carried out the suspected drone attack.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire incident that broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, caused by a drone strike. No injuries were reported, and there was no impact on radiological…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) May 17, 2026
UAE Faces Rising Regional Threats
The incident came during heightened tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. In recent months, the UAE has faced several missile and drone attacks targeting energy infrastructure and maritime facilities. Authorities previously blamed some of these attacks on Iran.
The latest strike has raised fresh concerns about the security of critical infrastructure in the Gulf region.
UAE Accelerates Oil Export Project
The attack also happened as the UAE moved faster on a major pipeline project designed to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports. Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently directed state-owned oil company ADNOC to speed up work on the project, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
The new pipeline is expected to double ADNOC’s export capacity through Fujairah. Officials plan to begin operations next year.
Barakah Plant Targeted for First Time
Sunday’s incident marked the first time the four-reactor Barakah Nuclear Power Plant has been targeted during the ongoing US-Iran conflict. The nuclear facility stands in a remote desert region of Abu Dhabi near the Saudi border.
The UAE developed the $20 billion project with support from South Korea. The plant became operational in 2020 and remains the first and only nuclear power station in the Arabian Peninsula. Nuclear facilities have increasingly become part of conflict zones in recent years, especially after Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
During the US-Iran conflict, Tehran repeatedly claimed that its Bushehr nuclear plant came under attack. However, reports said the Russian-operated facility avoided direct damage and no radiation leak occurred.
US-Iran Negotiations Remain Deadlocked
The drone strike came as negotiations between Washington and Tehran remained stalled. The United States stopped direct attacks last month but later imposed a port blockade on Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a route that previously handled nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict escalated on February 28.
The shipping disruption has triggered major problems in global energy supplies and pushed oil prices sharply higher. Talks aimed at ending the conflict have remained frozen after both Iran and the US rejected each other’s latest proposals last week.