Drone strikes UAE nuclear plant as US and Iran signal they are prepared to resume war

Published 17 May 2026 · india

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Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A drone strike sparked a fire on the edge of the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant on Sunday in what authorities called an “unprovoked terrorist attack.” No one was blamed, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signaled they were ready to fight again. There were no reported injuries or radiological release. The UAE, which has hosted air defenses and personnel from Israel, recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks. Tensions have risen over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy waterway gripped by Iran, which is under a U.S. naval blockade. “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media shortly after a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, whose attack on Iran with the U.S. sparked the war on Feb. 28. Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. “Our armed forces’ fingers are on the trigger, while diplomacy is also continuing,” Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said on state television. The ceasefire remains tenuous, with diplomatic efforts for a more durable peace having faltered.

And fighting has heated up between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon despite a nominal ceasefire there. Barakah plant can provide a quarter of the UAE’s energy The UAE Defense Ministry said three drones came over its western border with Saudi Arabia, with the other two intercepted. It was investigating who launched them. Iran and allied Shiite militias in Iraq have launched drone attacks targeting Gulf Arab states in the war. The attack, “whether carried out by the principal actor or through one of its proxies, represents a dangerous escalation,” Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said on social media. Saudi Arabia condemned the attack, and later said it had intercepted three drones that entered from Iraqi airspace. Read More The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the UAE with the help of South Korea and went online in 2020. It is the only nuclear power plant in the Arab world and can provide a quarter of the energy needs in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms that is home to Dubai. The UAE’s nuclear regulator said the fire didn’t affect plant safety and “all units are operating as normal.” The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, said the strike caused a fire in an electrical generator and one reactor was being powered by emergency diesel generators. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.