Drone strike triggers fire at UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant amid widening Gulf tensions

A suspected drone strike triggered a fire at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, marking the first known attack on the Gulf region’s only nuclear power facility since the outbreak of the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the strike caused a fire in an electrical generator located outside the inner perimeter of the nuclear plant in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.

Authorities said no injuries were reported and there was no impact on radiological safety.

The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation said all key systems at the plant were functioning normally and radiation levels remained unaffected.

The UAE government did not identify who was responsible for the attack.

First strike on Barakah facility

The Barakah nuclear plant, built with South Korean assistance at a reported cost of around USD 20 billion, became operational in 2020 and remains the first and only nuclear power facility in the Arabian Peninsula.

The four-reactor complex is located in Abu Dhabi’s western desert region near the Saudi border.

The strike comes amid escalating regional instability linked to the ongoing confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

The UAE has witnessed multiple drone and missile incidents in recent months targeting energy infrastructure and maritime facilities. Emirati authorities had earlier blamed some of the attacks on Iran-backed operations during the conflict.

Oil export concerns grow

The latest incident also comes as the UAE accelerates efforts to expand oil export infrastructure bypassing the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil and LNG shipments traditionally passes.

According to officials, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently directed state-owned energy giant ADNOC to fast-track a new export pipeline project linked to Fujairah.

The pipeline is expected to double export capacity through Fujairah and reduce dependence on Hormuz, where shipping disruptions linked to the conflict have triggered sharp increases in global oil prices.

Conflict fuels energy insecurity

The attack on Barakah adds to growing concerns over the vulnerability of nuclear and energy infrastructure in conflict zones.

During the war, Iran repeatedly claimed that its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant had also come under attack, though no radiation leak was reported there either.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled after recent negotiations between Washington and Tehran failed to produce a breakthrough, prolonging uncertainty across the Gulf region and global energy markets.