ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — May 16, 2026 : A drone strike targeted the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region on Sunday, causing a fire at an external electrical generator located outside the facility’s inner perimeter, according to UAE authorities.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed that emergency teams quickly contained the fire and that no injuries or casualties were reported. The UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) stated that the incident did not affect reactor operations, nuclear safety systems, or radiation levels.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also confirmed there was no radiological release from the facility. The agency said one reactor was temporarily supported by emergency diesel generators after the external equipment was damaged. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed concern over military activity near nuclear infrastructure.
The strike marked the first direct targeting of the Barakah facility since the start of the regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. UAE authorities have not identified the source of the drone, and no group has claimed responsibility.
The incident comes amid rising tensions in the Gulf following the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran and continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Three weeks before the attack, Iranian military officials warned that any military activity launched from UAE territory would face retaliation.
The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, located about 225 kilometers west of Abu Dhabi, is the first and only operational commercial nuclear power facility in the Arab world. Developed by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) with South Korean support from Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the four-reactor plant began operations in 2020 and is designed to provide up to 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity needs.
The facility operates under a civil nuclear agreement with the United States that prohibits uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing inside the UAE.
The Al Dhafra region also hosts the Al Dhafra Air Base, where United States military forces are stationed.
The strike occurred as the UAE continues expanding alternative energy export routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Abu Dhabi has accelerated construction of a new oil pipeline linking inland facilities to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, aiming to strengthen export security amid ongoing regional instability.
UAE authorities said national air defence systems remain on high readiness and urged the public to rely only on official information regarding the incident.
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