Drones that targeted UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant came from Iraqi territory

Abu Dhabi: The UAE announced that air defence systems had successfully detected and intercepted six hostile drones over the past 48 hours that attempted to target civilian and vital areas across the UAE.

The Ministry of Defence said air defence forces intercepted and neutralised the hostile targets with the highest levels of readiness and operational efficiency, adding that no casualties or damage to critical facilities were recorded.

In a statement issued as part of ongoing investigations into the attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant on May 17, 2026, the ministry said technical tracking and monitoring results confirmed that the three drones involved in the earlier incident, two of which were successfully intercepted while the third struck an electricity generator outside the station’s inner perimeter, as well as the drones intercepted later, had all originated from Iraqi territory.

The ministry reaffirmed that the UAE retains the full right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and national security in accordance with international laws and conventions.

It also stressed the full readiness of the UAE armed forces to respond to any threats targeting the country’s security and national capabilities.