Saudi Arabia condemns drone strike near UAE nuclear plant
Saudi Arabia on Sunday strongly condemned the drone attack on the United Arab Emirates that caused a fire outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant, as UAE authorities investigated the source of the strike.
The UAE’s defense ministry said it had “successfully” intercepted two drones, while a third struck an electrical generator near the nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi’s al-Dhafra Region. The ministry said the drones entered from the “western border” but did not provide further details.
Emergency authorities responded to the incident and confirmed that no injuries were reported, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
In a statement, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the Kingdom firmly rejects the “blatant attacks,” which it said “threaten the region’s security and stability.”
The ministry also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with the UAE and its support for “all measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan later received a phone call from UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, during which the two sides reviewed safety measures following the attack, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The UAE’s foreign ministry separately condemned the strike, describing it as a “dangerous escalation.”
“The UAE emphasized that it will not tolerate any threat to its security and sovereignty under any circumstances,” the ministry statement said.
Later on Sunday, UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash described the targeting of the Barakah plant as a “terrorist” act, saying that whether it was carried out directly by Iran or “through one of its proxies,” it represented “a dark development that violates all international laws and norms, reflecting criminal disregard for the lives of civilians in the UAE and its surroundings.”
“No one will twist the UAE’s arm, nor succeed in undermining its vision, success, and inspiring message to the peoples of the region centered on security, stability, development, and prosperity,” he added.
