Drone Hits UAE Nuclear Plant as Iran Ceasefire Talks Stall

A drone struck an electrical generator just outside the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, sparking a fire that officials said caused no injuries and no radiation release. The UAE's defense ministry said three drones in total entered the country from the western border. Two were intercepted. The third got through. The strike landed outside the inner perimeter of the plant, which continued operating normally afterward. UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed that radiological safety levels were unaffected and no radioactive material was released. The Abu Dhabi Media Office said precautionary measures were taken at the facility. UAE officials stopped short of naming a specific perpetrator, saying investigations were ongoing. However, Anwar Gargash, a presidential adviser, made clear who he believed was responsible. "The terrorist targeting of the Barakah clean nuclear power plant, whether carried out by the principal perpetrator or through one of its agents, represents a dangerous escalation," Gargash wrote on X. He called the strike "a dark scene that violates all international laws and norms" and accused those responsible of showing disregard for civilian lives. The UAE's foreign ministry went further, calling the strike an "unacceptable act of aggression" and saying it was "a flagrant violation of international law, the UN charter, and the principles of humanitarian law." The ministry also said the country had the full right to respond to what it described as "terrorist attacks." The defense ministry added that it would "firmly confront any attempts to undermine the country's security." According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia reported a separate incident the same day, saying it intercepted and destroyed three drones that entered its airspace from Iraq. While direct hostilities across the region have largely scaled back since a ceasefire took effect in April, drones have continued to be launched from Iraq toward Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The UAE's foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, briefed the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, on the details of the strike. The IAEA said in a social media post that Grossi expressed "grave concern about the incident and says military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable." Grossi also called for maximum military restraint. The strike comes during a tense stretch in what is now the sixth week of a ceasefire in the broader Iran conflict. Peace talks have stalled, and U.S. President Donald Trump voiced impatience at the deadlock on Sunday. "For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. According to The Guardian, Trump met with national security advisers on Saturday at his golf course in Virginia and is scheduled to meet with his national security team on Tuesday to discuss options. He also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of an Israeli security cabinet meeting covering Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza. The UAE has previously accused Iran of being behind earlier attacks on its energy and economic infrastructure since the conflict began in February, according to the BBC. Iran launched strikes across the region beginning February 28 in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli attacks against it, and has since accused the UAE and other American allies in the Gulf of allowing the U.S. to carry out operations from their territory. The UAE has denied Iranian claims that it carried out its own attacks. The Guardian reported that the UAE is considered the most hawkish of the Gulf states on military action against Iran, and has tightened its partnership with Israel over the course of the conflict. Saudi Arabia condemned Sunday's drone attack on the Barakah plant. The UAE defense ministry said it would release updates on the source of the attack once investigations are complete.