Drone strike starts fire outside UAE nuclear plant as Iran war ceasefire tested

Published May 17, 2026 9:17am ET | Updated May 17, 2026 9:17am ET



A fire broke out at the United Arab Emirates’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on Sunday after a drone strike hit the area.

Abu Dhabi’s state media office did not say where the airstrike came from and told the public to only listen to verified sources and “to avoid spreading rumors” on the incident. The strike comes six weeks after the initial Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between the United States and Iran was put into play, which called for the end of strikes on surrounding Middle East nations.

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