The UAE said on Monday its "resolve only grows stronger" after a drone strike on the grounds of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant which it described as an act of terrorism.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres led international condemnation of the attack, saying he was deeply alarmed, while leaders from the Middle East and around the world expressed solidarity with the UAE.
It was the first time the nuclear plant, about 280km west of Abu Dhabi city, has been attacked in the regional war. Although no casualties or radiation leaks were reported, the incident has led to warnings about the risks of strikes on nuclear infrastructure.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, described the targeting of the plant as a “terrorist attack” on a peaceful energy project.
In a post on X, Dr Al Jaber said the plant was built to the highest safety standards and supplies electricity to homes, hospitals and industries across the UAE.
He said “the right of every nation to build, to progress and to deliver clean energy to its people” has also been attacked. “Barakah will keep running. The UAE will keep building. Our resolve only grows stronger,” he added.
Mr Guterres said the incident "provides yet another reason for all sides to halt the fighting completely". The Barakah nuclear plant is the first of its kind in the Arab world and is part of the UAE's drive to diversify from oil. It began commercial operations in September 2024 after a phased opening over the course of several years.
The World Nuclear Association, a lobby group for the industry, voiced support for staff at Barakah. It said attacks on power plants were "reckless and unacceptable" and strikes on nuclear sites especially so.
It has not been confirmed who was responsible for the drone strike. The UAE and its neighbours have come under attack from Iranian drones and missiles during the regional war.
Gulf countries also condemned a drone attack on Saudi Arabia which the kingdom said originated from Iraqi airspace. Iraq is home to an array of pro-Iran militants who have staged attacks in solidarity with Tehran.
Responding on Monday, Iraq said its air defences and optical equipment had not detected the attacks and called on Saudi authorities to “exchange relevant information".
It was the first such incident since Iraq installed a new government last week, raising questions about Baghdad’s control over armed factions operating from its territory.
In a statement on X, the EU's delegation to the UAE said it “strongly condemns” the strike and stressed the "protection of nuclear facilities everywhere is non-negotiable”.
India described the attack as a “dangerous escalation” and called for immediate restraint and a return to diplomacy. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on X that his country "joins the International Atomic Energy Agency in condemning the drone strike near the UAE's Barakah Nuclear Power Plant and calls for restraint and de-escalation in the region".
Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, also posted on X to call the attack an outrageous and unacceptable escalation.
Pakistan, which has been mediating talks between the US and Iran, also condemned the attack. Islamabad pledged its solidarity with the UAE.
The strike sparked a fire at the edge of the plant. The drone was one of three that entered the country's territory from the western border, with the other two successfully intercepted, the UAE said.
It is not clear whether Iranian proxy forces such as the Houthi rebels or Iraqi militias could have mounted the strike. The UAE has launched an investigation into the “unprovoked terrorist attack” and said it reserved the right to respond. No injuries or radiation leaks were reported.
Saudi Arabia condemned the attack and later said it intercepted three drones that entered the kingdom from Iraqi airspace.
Oman condemned the attack on the UAE plant and stressed its solidarity with the country, backing measures to protect its security and territorial integrity.
Syria described the attack as a flagrant breach of international law and called it a terrorist act. Egypt said the strike represented a serious escalation and a clear breach of the sovereignty of the UAE, as well as the principles and rules of international law.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the country reserved the right to respond to “terrorist attacks” on the country. During a phone call on Sunday with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, Sheikh Abdullah condemned the “treacherous terrorist attack”, state news agency Wam reported.
Sheikh Abdullah said attacking civilian plants and vital infrastructure is a “flagrant violation of international law”.
In post on the IAEA account on X, Mr Grossi was quoted as calling for maximum military restraint near any nuclear plant to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident.
Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said on X that the Barakah incident was an “alarming example” of the rise in global attacks on energy infrastructure. He called for all countries to refrain from strikes on civilian energy infrastructure.
Further condemnation came from Jordan, the GCC, the Arab League, the Arab Parliament, Bahrain, Kuwait, Mauritania and Belgium. The attack, “whether carried out by the principal actor or through one of its proxies, represents a dangerous escalation", Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, said on social media.
The ceasefire between the US and Iran, meanwhile, remains fragile, despite diplomatic efforts to find a long-term solution. Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a rise in global oil prices and the disruption of supply chains. Iran is also under a US naval blockade.
US President Donald Trump is expected to meet his national security team in the White House on Tuesday, with Washington to assess diplomatic and military options regarding Iran, an Axios report said. Mr Trump warned on Sunday that “the clock is ticking” for Tehran to reach a deal, warning Iran risks being “hit much harder” if it fails to agree to terms.
