3 min readMay 18, 2026 01:35 PM IST
India on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack near the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, calling it a “dangerous escalation” and urging restraint amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Amid a delicate US-Iran ceasefire, a drone strike near the plant has raised fresh security concerns in West Asia.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, a fire broke out on Sunday at an electrical generator located outside the plant’s inner perimeter in the Al Dhafra region. Al Jazeera reported that UAE officials confirmed no injuries and said radiation levels at the facility remained normal.
India also reacted strongly on Monday, calling the attack a “dangerous escalation.” The Ministry of External Affairs said, “India is deeply concerned at the attack targeting the Barakah nuclear facility in the UAE. Such actions are unacceptable and represent a dangerous escalation. We urgently call for restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.”
Neighbouring Qatar and Saudi Arabia condemned the attack, calling it a threat to regional security and stability.
In a later statement, the UAE Defence Ministry said its air defence systems successfully intercepted two drones, while a third struck a generator near the facility. The ministry added that the drones were launched from the “western border” but did not specify the origin, and said investigations are underway.
The incident comes at a time of heightened US–Iran tensions. US President Donald Trump warned in a post on Truth Social that Iran’s “clock is ticking,” adding that failure to act would leave “nothing left” of the country. In response, senior Iranian armed forces spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that any US action would trigger “new, aggressive, and surprise scenarios,” pushing Washington into a “self-made quagmire.”
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Barakah, a USD 20 billion project developed in cooperation with South Korea, became operational in 2020 and remains the region’s only functioning nuclear power plant.
The latest strike underscores growing risks to nuclear infrastructure in conflict zones, a pattern seen in recent years, including during the Russia-Ukraine war. Similar concerns have also been raised in relation to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility, though previous incidents there did not result in structural damage or radiation leaks.
No group has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack, and UAE authorities say investigations are ongoing. The incident has further heightened fears of escalation across the region.
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