by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
JERUSALEM/TEHRAN (Worthy News) – A drone strike targeting the Middle East’s largest nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict involving Iran, its allied militias, Israel, and the United States.
UAE officials said the drone launched Sunday originated from Iraq and accused Iran-backed militias of carrying out what they described as a “terrorist” attack on critical civilian infrastructure.
Anwar Gargash, a senior adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, blamed “Iranian militias in Iraq” for the incident, warning it was “a grave indicator of the scale of the threat facing the region.”
The attack reportedly forced the Barakah nuclear facility to switch to backup power systems, though officials said there were no casualties or abnormal radiation levels.
NUCLEAR FEARS GROW
Barakah is one of only two active nuclear power plants in the region, alongside Iran’s Bushehr plant.
Analysts said the strike demonstrated the growing vulnerability of Gulf infrastructure amid tensions surrounding possible renewed U.S. military action against Iran.
“This was a warning shot by Iran,” said Mohammed Baharoon, director of Dubai’s B’huth Public Policy Research Center. He said Tehran appeared intent on signaling that Gulf states would not remain immune if fighting escalates again.
Neither Iran nor Iraqi militias officially claimed responsibility for the attack, nor for several drones launched toward Saudi Arabia around the same time that Saudi authorities said were intercepted.
The developments come as Washington and Tehran attempt to preserve a fragile ceasefire reached April 8, while discussions continue over a broader agreement to prevent renewed hostilities.
IRAQI MILITIAS ACTIVE
Experts say Iran-backed Iraqi militias are playing an increasingly central role in Tehran’s confrontation with the U.S. and Israel.
Groups including Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba have been linked to numerous missile and drone attacks against U.S. and Gulf interests.
“These groups are under direct orders from the IRGC to be part of Iran’s war effort,” said Renad Mansour, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.
Conflict monitor ACLED said it documented more than 65 incidents involving Iraqi militias targeting Gulf countries during the current conflict, though it believes the actual number is likely higher.
Analysts also noted that using Iraqi proxy groups provides Iran with what they called “plausible deniability” while still allowing Tehran to pressure Gulf governments aligned with Washington and Israel.
PRESSURE ON IRAQ
The attacks have also increased pressure on Iraq’s newly installed prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, whose government condemned the strikes and announced an investigation.
However, observers questioned Baghdad’s ability to control powerful militias closely tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“Iraq is very much now part of the battle,” Mansour warned.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Thursday, South Korea’s military said, a sharp show of force just one day after Pyongyang dismissed President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back U.S.–South Korea military drills.
The Pentagon has ordered 30 American colleges and universities to audit foreign research partnerships and cut off any arrangements deemed a threat to U.S. national security, with officials warning that schools could lose federal research funding if they fail to comply.
The U.S. military’s heavy use of Tomahawk cruise missiles during the conflict with Iran is sharpening concerns in Washington over America’s ability to sustain long-range precision warfare while also preparing for future threats.
Israel has warned Syria not to allow Turkey to establish a deeper military foothold inside the country, escalating a growing diplomatic confrontation between Jerusalem and Ankara after an Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur military air base in northern Syria.
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is now operating in the Middle East, U.S. Central Command said Thursday, marking a major carrier rotation as the USS Abraham Lincoln prepares to end one of the Navy’s most punishing recent deployments.
The death toll from the collapse of an artisanal gold mine in western Central African Republic has risen to more than 100, with others still missing or trapped beneath rubble, underscoring broader concerns about safety risks faced by miners across the region, rescue workers and local officials said.
Ukrainian authorities said Thursday at least 16 people were killed and about 40 injured in massive overnight Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and the wider region, while neighboring countries were placed on high alert amid reports of drones entering or approaching their territory.