Daijiworld Media Network - Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, May 17: A drone strike triggered a fire outside the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra region on Sunday, authorities in the United Arab Emirates said.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the fire broke out in an external electrical generator located outside the perimeter of the nuclear facility.

Officials confirmed that no injuries were reported and radiation safety levels remained unaffected. The UAE’s nuclear regulator also stated that the incident did not impact the operations or safety systems of the plant.

“All units are operating as normal,” the authority posted on X.

No organisation has claimed responsibility for the drone strike so far, and UAE authorities have not blamed any group or country for the attack. The International Atomic Energy Agency has not yet issued an official response.

The incident marks the first known attack targeting the Barakah nuclear facility since the escalation of tensions linked to the ongoing Iran conflict.

Constructed with support from South Korea at an estimated cost of 20 billion US dollars, the Barakah plant began operations in 2020 and remains the only operational nuclear power station in the Arabian Peninsula.

In recent years, nuclear facilities have increasingly become vulnerable during conflicts. Similar concerns emerged during Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Iran has repeatedly claimed attacks near its Bushehr nuclear power plant amid ongoing regional tensions.

The latest strike comes amid growing instability around the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf region, where tensions between Iran and the United States continue despite fragile ceasefire efforts.

Iran continues to maintain strategic influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passed before the conflict intensified.