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Drone Strike on UAE Nuclear Plant Raises Concerns
July/August 2026
A May 17 drone strike on a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates prompted an emergency response from the UN Security Council amid renewed concerns about the risks that escalating regional armed conflicts pose to civilian nuclear facilities.
According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, the attack struck an electrical generator outside the inner security perimeter of Barakah Nuclear Power plant in Abu Dhabi. No injuries were reported and radiation levels remained normal. But the strike caused a fire and temporarily disrupted offsite power to Unit 3, requiring operators to rely on emergency diesel generators for about 24 hours until external power was restored. This is the first known case of an operating commercial nuclear reactor losing off-site power as a result of a military attack.
UAE defense officials said that the drones originated in Iraq, suggesting that Iran-backed militias targeted the UAE because of its close security ties with the United States. Responsibility has not been independently verified. The Barakah facility supplies about one-quarter of the country’s electricity.
The Security Council convened an emergency meeting May 19 to discuss the attack. Addressing the Council, Grossi warned that a direct strike on reactors or spent fuel facilities could result in a “very high release of radioactivity to the environment,” potentially requiring evacuations, sheltering orders, iodine distribution, and long-term food restrictions.
Grossi said that attacks disabling power supplies could increase the risk of reactor core damage and meltdown. On May 26, the Council condemned the strike “in the strongest terms,” calling it a “flagrant violation of international law” and warning of grave risks to civilians, infrastructure, and the environment.
The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows previous IAEA warnings about the dangers posed by military operations near nuclear facilities. Grossi reiterated that attacks on nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes are against international law. “Attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes are unacceptable … Zaporizhzya NPP, Kursk NPP, Bushehr NPP, Barakah NPP or any other nuclear power plant. Nuclear Power Plants are protected under international humanitarian law,” he said in a statement.
Grossi also told the Security Council that “the only sustainable path forward to peace, stability, and cooperation is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy.” He stressed that durable agreements concerning nuclear activities require robust IAEA verification and international engagement.—SHAGHAYEGH CHRIS ROSTAMPOUR