UAE Nuclear Power Plant Hit by Drone Strike as Gulf Tensions Escalate
Drone Strike and Regional Escalation
By Tala Ramadan
DUBAI, May 17 (Reuters) - A drone strike caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, officials in Abu Dhabi said on Sunday, at a time when progress appears to have stalled in efforts to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and restart shipping in the Gulf.
Immediate Aftermath of the Attack
Emirati officials did not attribute blame for the attack and there were no immediate claims of responsibility. The UAE has previously accused Iran of attacking its energy targets in what it has called an escalation of the conflict in the region.
Impact on Barakah Nuclear Power Plant
The drone hit an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. Radiological safety levels and operations were unaffected and there were no injuries, it said.
International Response
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was following the situation closely.
Broader Regional Conflict
During the war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran has repeatedly targeted the UAE and other Gulf states that host U.S. military bases, hitting sites that include civilian and energy infrastructure.
Escalation Following U.S. Naval Mission
Iran stepped up such attacks on the UAE earlier this month after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a naval mission to try to open the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump suspended after 48 hours.
Diplomatic Deadlock
DIPLOMATIC DEADLOCK
More than five weeks after a tenuous ceasefire in the conflict took effect, U.S. and Iranian demands remain far apart despite diplomatic efforts to end the war and reopen the strait, the world's most important shipping route for oil and gas.
Key Demands and Sticking Points
Washington has called for Tehran to dismantle its nuclear programme and lift its hold on the strait. Iran has demanded compensation for war damage, an end to a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and a halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where Israel is battling Iran-backed Hezbollah.
International Mediation Efforts
Trump, who held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week without securing an indication from China that it would help resolve the conflict, has threatened to resume attacks if Iran does not agree to a deal.
Iranian Response to U.S. Threats
A senior spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces, Abolfazl Shekarchi, said on Sunday that if Trump's threats were carried out, the U.S. would "face new, aggressive, and surprise scenarios, and sink into a self-made quagmire".
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the U.S. and Israel had tried to shift the blame for destabilizing energy markets following their "unprovoked military aggression against Iran".
Rival Blockades and Oil Crisis
RIVAL BLOCKADES
The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has caused the biggest oil supply crisis in history, pushing up prices. The U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran's Response to Blockades
Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament's national security committee, said on Saturday that Tehran had prepared a mechanism to manage traffic through the strait along a designated route that would be unveiled soon.
Human Cost and Regional Impact
Thousands of Iranians were killed in the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Thousands more have been killed in Lebanon in fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
Ceasefire Extension in Lebanon
Israel and Lebanon agreed on Friday to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire there, though the truce has failed to end clashes.
(Reporting by Reuters Newsrooms Writing by Aidan LewisEditing by Peter Graff)
