The United Arab Emirates’ Barakah nuclear power plant was targeted by drones originating from Iraq, the country’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday, raising "grave concerns" from the International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Rafael Grossi, about the growing trend of targeting operating nuclear plants in the ongoing Iran war. Grossi warned that "a direct hit, could result in a very high rate of radioactivity to the environment." Emirati officials stated the attack hit a generator on the facility’s perimeter, with no reported injuries or radioactive leaks.
The assertion from the UAE indicated that Iraqi Shiite militias backed by Iran were likely behind the assault, though no group claimed responsibility. Tehran and its militia proxies have launched drone attacks targeting Gulf Arab states since Israel and the United States began their war against Iran on Feb. 28. These militias have historically provided Iran with a way to deflect blame over such attacks. The UAE, which has hosted air defenses and personnel from Israel, recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks even after its ceasefire with the U.S. began April 8.
Imperial Blockade and Nuclear Threat
The conflict has intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy waterway gripped by Iran while its ports remain under a U.S. naval blockade. The U.S. military’s Central Command reported on Tuesday that this blockade has stopped 89 commercial vessels since it started in mid-April. Maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported that ship traffic through the strait more than doubled last week, with 54 ships transiting the week of May 11, but this still remains a fraction of its prewar levels, when 130 or more vessels passed it each day.
Iran has imposed a murky vetting scheme for vessels attempting to leave the Persian Gulf, which in some cases has included demanding payment and excludes U.S. and Israeli vessels. Iran depends on China as the sole remaining major customer for its heavily sanctioned oil, while India is suffering a politically sensitive shortage of cooking gas supplies. India has secured passage for some of its ships through diplomatic intervention with Iran, including two carrying cooking gas headed for India among the 10 China-owned ships that transited last week.
The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant, built by the UAE with the help of South Korea and online since 2020, is the only nuclear power plant in the Arab world. It is designed to provide a quarter of the energy needs in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms, representing a significant concentration of capital investment in regional energy infrastructure.
The State's Role in Capital's War
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday he is willing to give Iran a few days to make progress in peace negotiations before the U.S. resumes military strikes, having previously said he was "an hour away from making the decision" to launch a new round of strikes before calling off the attack. Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off, while insisting that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Vice President JD Vance articulated the state's rationale, saying that a failure to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions would lead to other countries pursuing atomic weapons, making "us all much less safe."
The U.S. state's legislative arm also engaged with the conflict, as the Senate advanced a bill aiming to force Trump to seek congressional approval or withdraw from the war. However, it was not clear whether this legislation could gain final passage, highlighting the limitations of reform efforts within existing state structures.
Regional states have also reacted to the escalating tensions. Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi expressed Baghdad’s "strong condemnation of the recent drone attacks targeting the UAE," emphasizing "the importance of effective regional and international cooperation to prevent any escalation." Saudi Arabia also condemned the nuclear plant attack and later reported intercepting three drones that had entered the kingdom from Iraqi airspace. An Emirati diplomat, Anwer Gargash, criticized regional countries, stating on X that "The confusion of roles during this treacherous Iranian aggression is baffling, encompassing the Gulf Arab region’s surrounding states."
Economic Warfare and Civilian Costs
The ongoing war, characterized by blockades and threats to critical infrastructure, directly impacts the flow of essential resources and concentrates economic hardship. The U.S. insistence on controlling the Strait of Hormuz and its naval blockade serve to secure strategic advantages for transnational capital, while the "politically sensitive shortage of cooking gas supplies" in India illustrates the human cost borne by the working masses caught in the crossfire of imperial competition. The Barakah plant, a massive capital investment, becomes a target in this struggle, demonstrating the inherent instability of an economic order built on resource control and military projection.