Angry MBS 'Rejects' UAE Barakah Attack As MBZ Claims Drones Fired From 'West': US Allies At War Now?

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]Saudi Arabia issues its first response after former OPEC partner levels accusations amid rising regional tensions.

[00:00:08]Riyadh reacts as the UAE comes under attack, reporting a drone strike approaching from the western border.

[00:00:14]Saudi Arabia warns of a serious threat after the UAE faces its second aerial attack within just 2 weeks.

[00:00:21]The origin of the drone remains unclear with speculation swirling and no confirmed source behind the strike.

[00:00:28]Amid the uncertainty, Riyadh reports a separate drone incursion entering regional airspace from the direction of Iraq.

[00:00:35]Tensions deepen as divisions among US-aligned Arab allies raise fears of a widening conflict in the Gulf.

[00:00:42]Saudi Arabia condemned a drone strike near a nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, warning that the incident could pose a broader regional security threat.

[00:00:50]The attack on May 17th reportedly targeted an electricity generator located outside the Barakah nuclear plant in Abu Dhabi.

[00:00:58]Riyadh stated that the strike threatens regional stability and reaffirmed its full support for the UAE sovereignty and security in the aftermath of the incident.

[00:01:06]Saudi Arabia also categorically rejected the attack during diplomatic communication with the UAE, according to Iran International.

[00:01:15]UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a series of calls with regional counterparts to discuss the developments following the strike.

[00:01:24]Kuwait and Bahrain also condemned the incident, describing it as a dangerous escalation in an already tense regional environment.

[00:01:32]Kuwait said that targeting peaceful nuclear facilities violates international law and poses risks to civilian populations as well as the environment.

[00:01:40]Bahrain reiterated its solidarity with the UAE and praised the country's air defense systems for responding promptly to the perceived threat.

[00:01:47]Ahmed Aboul Gheit expressed relief after confirming that the fire resulting from the incident had been successfully contained.

[00:01:54]As Gulf countries expressed unified support for the UAE. Riyadh also reported drone incursions originating from what it described as Iraqi airspace.

[00:02:03]The UAE's nuclear regulator confirmed that there was no impact on the plant's safety, stating that all operational systems remain stable and fully functional.

[00:02:12]Authorities in the UAE have not yet identified the origin of the drone or the party responsible for carrying out the attack.

[00:02:19]The incident comes amid a fragile understanding between United States and Iran, alongside ongoing efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

[00:02:27]Notably, this is not the first such incident involving the UAE since the April ceasefire, indicating continued underlying tensions in the region.

[00:02:36]On May 4th, a fire broke out at the Fujairah oil depot, which the UAE later attributed to a drone attack it said was carried out by Iran.

[00:02:45]>> [music] >> After the Barakah nuclear scare, the UAE [music] acknowledged that the hostile drones had entered its airspace from the western border, a detail that immediately set off speculation about where they were launched. Abu Dhabi authorities said air defenses intercepted two unmanned aerial vehicles, while a third managed to reach an electrical generator facility linked to the Barakah complex and trigger a fire. The Emirati defense ministry stressed that investigations are still underway, signaling that, at least [music] officially, they are not yet ready to attribute responsibility to any state or group. Officials have promised that more details will be released once the probe is completed, [music] effectively asking both domestic and foreign audiences to hold off judgment for now. At the same time, the UAE underlined that its forces remain ready to respond to future security threats, >> [music] >> framing the incident as serious but contained within its broader defense posture.

[00:03:44]On May 17th, [music] a drone strike caused a fire at an electrical generator associated with the Barakah nuclear power plant, instantly raising alarms about the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure. The attack occurred in the old Dhafra region and crucially outside the plant's heavily protected inner perimeter, allowing Emirati officials to stress that the reactor itself [music] was never in direct danger. Abu Dhabi's media office reported that no injuries were recorded and that radiological safety levels remained unchanged, seeking to calm fears of any nuclear leak or contamination. Authorities emphasized that the blaze was quickly contained by emergency teams and did not breach any of Barakah's core nuclear safety systems, >> [music] >> framing the incident as a security warning rather than a nuclear accident.

[00:04:30]So far, the UAE Defense Ministry has publicly maintained [music] that the source of the drone attack is unknown, keeping its official language carefully neutral. Unlike previous incidents, Abu Dhabi has pointedly avoided directly accusing [music] Iran, a notable change in tone that has fueled speculation about other possible culprits. Iran's Tasnim news [music] agency quickly raised questions about possible Saudi involvement, highlighting regional [music] rivalries and hinting at tensions that go beyond the usual Iran-UAE narrative. Tasnim claimed [music] that relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have recently entered a cold phase, suggesting that political [music] friction could now be spilling over into the security realm. All of this is unfolding as Saudi Arabia and the UAE [music] increasingly disagree over key parts of regional security strategy, from Iran and Yemen to energy policy and ties with Israel. [music] Amid fresh warnings that the ceasefire could collapse, a new account of the UAE's behind-the-scenes role is shocking the region, casting Trump's Gulf ally as one of the loudest voices for hitting Iran harder.

[00:05:34]According to this report, shortly after US-Israeli strikes began, Abu Dhabi pressed its neighbors to join a broader regional response, trying to turn limited retaliation into a Gulf-wide front against Tehran. Mohammed bin Zayed personally [music] urged Saudi Arabia and Qatar to participate in a joint answer to Iranian attacks, arguing that only a united wall of states could deter further strikes. MBZ is reported to have believed that if the Gulf stood together, politically and militarily, Iran would think twice before firing on oil terminals, towers, [music] and airports again. Instead, key partners including Saudi Arabia and several other Gulf states refused to sign up to a retaliatory campaign, judging that escalation carried more risks than benefits. Some leaders are even said to have told MBZ bluntly that this was not their conflict, signaling they were unwilling to be dragged deeper into a fight they saw as primarily US-Iranian.

[00:06:25]All of this unfolded as Tehran fired nearly 3,000 drones and missiles [music] at targets inside the UAE before the April 8th ceasefire, turning Dubai and Abu Dhabi into frontline cities overnight. Iran's barges also struck ports, airports, towers, and hotels across the wider region, underscoring why some Gulf rulers feared any additional strikes [music] might only invite more destruction at home.

[00:06:56]Riyadh reportedly branded the UAE's push for joint strikes escalatory, choosing instead a deterrence-only posture, bolstering defenses and diplomacy [music] while avoiding direct defensive action.

[00:07:06]That strategic split deepened already strained ties between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, turning quiet economic competition into visible geopolitical friction in the middle of a war. In Qatar, officials briefly weighed direct retaliation after Iran hit the Ras Laffan LNG complex, but ultimately stepped back from the brink. Doha concluded its role should be de-escalation and mediation, not opening a new military front, especially with LNG exports [music] and foreign bases sitting in Iran's line of sight. Bahrain and Kuwait broadly followed Saudi Arabia's caution, keeping to defensive postures and steering clear [music] of any offensive operations that could widen the conflict. Oman, long a quiet back channel to Tehran, was never expected to join strikes at all, instead continuing to play the role of discreet go-between as the fighting raged.

[00:07:53]Against this backdrop, Abu Dhabi shocked energy markets by pulling out of the Saudi-led OPEC cartel in late April, signaling just how far its rift with Riyadh had widened. Reports now suggest the UAE is even reviewing its participation in regional bodies like the GCC, raising the question of whether Trump's most enthusiastic Gulf partner is preparing to chart a far [music] more independent course.