UN Secretary-General warns after reported drone strikes near Barakah nuclear plant in Abu Dhabi

The United Nations Secretary-General said he was "deeply alarmed" by reports that drone strikes yesterday struck an electrical generator within the perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The remark, delivered in a statement relayed by a UN presenter, urged all parties to halt the fighting completely and warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure — "including nuclear power plants" — must stop. "Attacks on nuclear installations are totally unacceptable, a violation of international law, and must be condemned," the Secretary-General said.

Why it matters: an attack on equipment inside a nuclear power plant’s perimeter raises international safety and legal concerns and prompted the secretary-general to call for de-escalation. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is following the situation closely and is in contact with UAE authorities and stands ready to provide assistance if needed, indicating international technical monitoring is under way.

Details from the statement: the reported strike was said to have damaged or targeted an electrical generator located inside the Barakah plant’s perimeter. The statement did not provide independent confirmation of damage, casualty figures, the identity of the attacker, or precise timing beyond referring to "yesterday." The Secretary-General framed the incident as another reason for all sides to halt hostilities and stressed protections for civilian infrastructure.

The legal frame and international response: the secretary-general characterized attacks on nuclear installations as violations of international law and called for them to be condemned. The IAEA's stated readiness to assist signals that technical assessments or support could follow if requested by UAE authorities.

The statement did not include further operational details, a named confirmation of damage, or attribution of responsibility for the reported drone strikes. The UN presenter’s remarks and the secretary-general’s quoted lines are the source of the public warning; the IAEA’s engagement was described as ongoing.

Next steps: the UN and the IAEA indicated attention to the incident; any further public updates or technical assessments from the IAEA or UAE authorities were not included in the statement and remain to be released.