Drone strike sparks a fire on the perimeter of UAE's nuclear power plant, shaking Iran war ceasefire

The attack comes as Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed through before the war, disrupting global energy supplies. Meanwhile, America continues to block Iranian ports in response as negotiations to solidify the ceasefire have failed to advance.

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested hostilities could resume, and Iranian state television has repeatedly aired segments with anchors holding Kalashnikov-style rifles in an effort to prepare the public for war. Meanwhile, fire exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been rising in recent days as well, threatening a separate ceasefire there.

Barakah plant provides a fifth of UAE's energy

The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the UAE with the help of South Korea and went online in 2020. It’s the first and only nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula and can provide a quarter of all the energy needs in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms. It's also the first commercial nuclear power plant in the Arab world.

The UAE’s nuclear regulator said the fire didn’t impact the plant safety. “All units are operating as normal,” the organization wrote on X.

The UAE statement didn’t blame any party for the attack. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sunday’s strike marked the first time the four-reactor Barakah plant has been targeted in the Iran war. The plant sits in the far western deserts of Abu Dhabi, near the border with Saudi Arabia. The UAE signed a strict deal with the U.S. over the power plant, known as a “123 agreement,” in which it agreed to give up domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent fuel to halt any proliferation fears. Its uranium comes from abroad.

Nuclear power plants increasingly targeted in war

Nuclear power plants increasingly have found themselves targeted in wars in recent years, first during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During the Iran war, Tehran repeatedly claimed its Bushehr nuclear power plant came under attack, though there was no direct damage to its Russian-run reactor nor any radiological release.

There have been several instances of attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf countries over the past several weeks. Talks between Iran and the U.S. are at a standstill as the shaky ceasefire threatens to collapse and tip the Middle East back into open warfare, prolonging the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

On Iranian state TV, presenters on at least two channels appeared armed during live programs.

In one program, Hossein Hosseini received basic firearms training from a member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, whose face was covered with a mask. After being shown how to prepare the weapon, Hosseini mimed firing a shot at the flag of the UAE.

On another channel, female presenter Mobina Nasiri said a weapon had been sent to her from a gathering in Tehran’s Vanak Square so she could appear armed on camera. She said: “From this platform, I declare that I am ready to sacrifice my life for this country.”

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.