UAE reports strike near Abu Dhabi nuclear power plant

The United Arab Emirates said a drone strike had triggered a fire near its nuclear power station on Sunday, calling the incident a “dangerous escalation”.

Officials are investigating the source of the strike, according to the BBC.

The country’s defense ministry said three drones had entered the UAE from the “western border direction”.

While two were intercepted, the third drone struck an electrical generator “outside the inner perimeter” of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, sparking a fire.

No injuries were reported and there was no impact on radiological safety levels, the BBC quoted local authorities as saying.

The UAE’s foreign ministry called the strike an “unacceptable act of aggression” and said it had the right to respond to any hostilities.

It added that “the targeting of peaceful nuclear energy facilities is a flagrant violation of international law, the UN charter, and the principles of humanitarian law”.

Officials have not said from where the drone was launched.

The UAE has previously accused Iran of being behind attacks on its energy and economic infrastructure since war broke out in the region in February.

The UN’s nuclear watchdog said it was monitoring the situation closely and that its director general Rafael Grossi expressed “grave concern” about the incident.

Grossi said “military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable”, according to a statement shared by the International Atomic Energy Agency on X, and called for “maximum military restraint”.

Also on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry said it had intercepted and destroyed three drones which had entered its airspace from Iraq.