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On Tuesday, June 3 , 2026 , IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi publicly confirmed that the target had been intentionally targeted, presenting the first conclusions after his visit to the site.
“deliberately targeted” by “individuals trying to cause a major incident.”
“deliberately targeted” by “individuals trying to cause a major incident.”
According to the head of the agency, the strike on May 17, 2026, did not hit the reactor, but targeted an electrical installation at the complex, which could have caused the reactor to shut down . His assessment indicates a carefully planned move, designed to put pressure on the plant’s support infrastructure.
What happened on May 17, 2026
The attack targeted a critical power supply component of the plant, not the reactor core or cladding. Even so, damage to these auxiliary facilities can force entire systems into failsafe mode and, ultimately, cause a controlled shutdown of the unit. For this reason, the IAEA official stressed the seriousness of the situation created around the Barakah facility .
“an extremely serious scenario.”
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