By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A drone strike sparked a fire near the UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant on Sunday, officials say, with no injuries or radiation leak reported as regional tensions around the Iran ceasefire escalate.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office in a statement said an electrical generator caught fire outside the main facility. It added that there was no radiation leak or injuries reported, and confirmed the plant continued operating normally.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the fire affected an electrical generator and said one reactor briefly relied on emergency diesel generators.
It added that it has been informed that radiation levels at the Barakah nuclear plant remain normal and no injuries were reported “after a drone strike”.
The IAEA Secretary General Rafael Grossi expressed his “grave concern about the incident” and said that “military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable.”
He urged all parties “for maximum military restraint near any Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility and the UAE did not publicly blame anyone. However, tensions with Iran have escalated in recent weeks following repeated drone and missile attacks linked to the wider regional conflict.
The incident comes as ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States remain stalled, raising fears the conflict could reignite.
The escalation comes as Iranian state media continues to circulate wartime imagery on social media, including broadcasts showing presenters receiving firearms training and appearing armed on air, adding to the tensions.
