Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The United Arab Emirates on Sunday strongly condemned what it described as a “treacherous terrorist attack” targeting an electric generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, warning that the incident marks a “dangerous escalation” and a direct threat to the country’s national security.
In a sharply worded statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said targeting peaceful nuclear energy facilities constitutes “a flagrant violation of international law, the United Nations Charter, and international humanitarian law,” citing the potentially catastrophic consequences such attacks could have on civilians, the environment, and regional and global security.
The ministry stressed that international standards and agreements including principles established by the International Atomic Energy Agency, clearly prohibit hostile acts against civilian nuclear facilities and underscore the necessity of safeguarding their security and operational integrity.
The UAE further declared that it “will not tolerate any threat to its security or sovereignty under any circumstances,” emphasizing that Abu Dhabi reserves “all sovereign, legal, diplomatic, and military rights” to respond to hostile actions in accordance with international law.
The statement also condemned attacks on civilian and strategic infrastructure as unacceptable “by all legal and humanitarian standards,” while calling for an immediate halt to such hostile acts and full adherence to a cessation of hostilities.
Earlier Sunday, authorities in Abu Dhabi confirmed that a fire erupted at an electrical generator located outside the inner security perimeter of the Barakah nuclear facility following a drone strike. Officials stressed that the incident did not affect radiation safety levels or the plant’s core operational systems.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office said emergency teams swiftly contained the fire and implemented all necessary precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed that the incident had no impact on the safety or operational readiness of the plant, adding that all units at the facility continue to function normally.
Later, the UAE Ministry of Defense announced that Emirati air defenses intercepted three drones that entered the country’s airspace from the western border direction. According to the ministry, two drones were successfully neutralized, while the third struck the electrical generator near the Barakah facility in the Al Dhafra region.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the attack.
The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, is the first nuclear power facility in the Arab world and a cornerstone of the UAE’s long-term energy diversification strategy. The plant supplies nearly 25 percent of the country’s electricity needs.
The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions following weeks of escalating confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. During the 40-day conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran, several Gulf states including the UAE, were exposed to missile and drone attacks launched by Tehran in retaliation for strikes targeting Iranian territory.
