UAE Says Drones Targeting Barakah Nuclear Plant Came from Iraq

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that the drones used in last week’s attack on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant originated from Iraqi territory, raising fresh concerns over regional security as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East.

According to the Emirati Ministry of Defense, technical tracking and monitoring conducted as part of the investigation into the May 17 attack confirmed that the three drones involved “all originated from Iraqi territory.”

The attack targeted the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Abu Dhabi emirate on Sunday. One drone struck an electrical generator near the facility, sparking a fire, while two other drones were intercepted before reaching their targets. Authorities said no injuries or radiation leaks were reported.

The strike marked the first known attack on the Arab world’s only nuclear power plant since the current regional conflict erupted following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Barakah, located near the Saudi and Qatari borders, is the UAE’s largest electricity source and generates around a quarter of the country’s power supply. The incident has intensified fears over the vulnerability of critical infrastructure across the Gulf region.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, Iran and Iran-backed armed groups have launched attacks against Gulf countries, often targeting energy and economic facilities. Several Iran-backed factions operating in Iraq have previously claimed responsibility for drone and missile attacks in the region, though no group has so far claimed Sunday’s strike.

The nuclear facility had already been publicly identified as a potential target. In March, Iranian media outlets published a list of possible targets that included the Barakah plant among key regional energy sites.