A drone managed to bypass the air defenses of the Emirates on Sunday and caused an explosion at the nuclear Barakah plant, while Saudi Arabia shot down three drones in its airspace, adding fears about the breakdown of the tenuous Iran ceasefire agreement.
The attack on Barakah occurred near an electrical generator in the outer periphery of the plant located in the Al Dhafra region of the UAE.
There have been no casualties and the radiation level remained normal according to the UAE officials.
War News: Trump rebuffs Iran peace offer as US spy flights surge over Cuba and Gulf drone strikes mount
The UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation has assured the public that no radioactive substance was released as a result of the attack.
The International Atomic Energy Agency added that the emergency diesel generators are working normally and supplying electricity to Unit 3.
According to the UAE officials, two other drones targeting the nuclear plant were shot down by the air force.
It is unclear who ordered the attack, but the UAE official pointed out that such action was a serious escalation whether conducted by the main culprit or its proxy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the drone attack to be a blatant act of terrorism.
Iraqi airspace breach
Just hours before the attack, Saudi air defenses intercepted three drones that crossed into the kingdom from Iraqi airspace.
The drones were destroyed “shortly after they entered Saudi territory”, Saudi defence ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al Maliki said, warning the kingdom would take whatever operational measures were needed to defend its sovereignty.
Tehran has not claimed responsibility for either incident and the April ceasefire has largely held.
But drones have continued to leak across the region’s borders from Iraq.
Sunday’s strikes are among the most serious incidents since fighting paused in the 11th week of the wider conflict.
“The clock is ticking for Iran, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!” was the stern reply from US President Donald Trump on his social network, Truth Social.
As per media reports by based on information provided by American officials, the president will convene with his national security advisers in the White House Situation Room on Tuesday to deliberate possible military actions.
President Trump made phone calls on Sunday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, Iran has maintained its stance. According to Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, all US military installations in the southern region of the Persian Gulf will be rendered inactive if Washington reopens hostilities.
The US is demanding that Iran relinquish uranium enrichment as well as hand over its enriched uranium stockpile.
However, Iran contends its right to nuclear energy without weapons and seeks removal of the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Egypt all condemned the Barakah strike and vowed solidarity with UAE.
