IAEA Chief Sounds Alarm Over Highly Targeted Drone Attack on UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has issued a grave warning following a precision drone strike targeting an electricity facility at the United Arab Emirates’ Barakah nuclear power plant. Speaking from Abu Dhabi after inspecting the facility, Grossi emphasized that the operation was meticulously planned and carried out by perpetrators who “knew exactly what they were doing,” presenting a situation of extreme gravity. Although Emirati atomic professionals responded immediately to contain the damage, the IAEA chief noted that the strike risked completely shutting down the plant due to a total loss of external power. The UAE government has officially blamed Iraq-based militant groups for the targeted strike, which comes amid a broader wave of regional missile and drone attacks. As Barakah is the Arab world’s only operational nuclear energy plant, Grossi has launched an urgent diplomatic tour to neighboring Gulf states—including Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—to coordinate regional nuclear safety and emergency response protocols.