Drone strike sparks fire on perimeter of UAE's nuclear power plant, shaking Iran war ceasefire
A drone strike caused a fire at the perimeter of the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant on May 17, with no injuries or radiological impact reported. The attack heightened tensions amid a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing Iran war, with suspicion pointing toward Iran due to recent threats. The Barakah plant, which supplies a fifth of the UAE's energy, continues to operate normally despite the incident.
- ▪The drone strike ignited an electrical generator on the perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant but did not affect radiological safety or cause injuries.
- ▪The Barakah plant is the first and only nuclear power facility on the Arabian Peninsula and was built with assistance from South Korea.
- ▪No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iran is suspected due to its recent threats against the UAE for hosting Israeli defense systems.
- ▪The incident marks the first time the Barakah plant has been targeted during the Iran war, occurring amid stalled ceasefire negotiations and rising regional tensions.
- ▪Nuclear power plants have increasingly become targets in recent conflicts, including during Russia's invasion of Ukraine and in prior claims by Iran about attacks on its Bushehr facility.
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A handout picture obtained from the media office of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on February 13, 2020, shows a view of the power plant in the western Al Dhafra Region — formally know as the Gharbiya region — of Abu Dhabi on the Gulf coastline about 50 kilometres west of Ruwais. A fire broke out following a drone strike on a nuclear power plant in the emirate of Abu Dhabi on May 17, authorities said, reporting no injuries or impact on radiation levels. AFP-YonhapDUBAI — A drone strike targeted the United Arab Emirates' Barakah nuclear power plant Sunday, setting an electrical generator ablaze on its perimeter and again straining the shaky ceasefire in the Iran war.No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which caused no radiological release nor injuries, authorities in…
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