A drone attack targeted the gas-loading terminal at the Damietta port on Egypt's Mediterranean coast Wednesday evening, according to reports. At least one drone struck a floating tanker under U.S. ownership, causing damage to that vessel and to another tanker and port facilities. No casualties have been reported.
A drone attack struck the gas-loading terminal at Egypt's Damietta port on Wednesday evening, damaging two tankers and port facilities, according to reports. The attack comes after a rapidly evolving sequence of reports: Egyptian security sources initially denied an attack, attributing a fire to an engine room blaze on an old ship; Iranian-affiliated channels later released footage and claimed responsibility. The latest reports confirm material damage to the terminal and vessels, though no casualties have been reported.
The story unfolded in a flurry of reports Wednesday evening. At 18:58 Jerusalem, initial reports indicated a suspected drone strike on an American gas tanker off Damietta (versions 10–11). Minutes later, Egyptian security sources told Saudi outlet Al-Hadath that the fire was caused by an engine room blaze, denying an attack (version 18). Simultaneously, Iranian Telegram channels released footage purportedly showing the drone strike (version 20), and an IRGC-affiliated channel claimed responsibility (version 16). Additional footage from the scene confirmed damage to the vessels (version 19), and Reuters reported the tanker was struck (version 11). The reporting evolved from unconfirmed claims to verified damage, though the attack's origin remains officially unconfirmed.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of maritime drone strikes in the region. As The Zioneer reported on June 28, CENTCOM launched strikes across Iran following a tanker attack near the Strait of Hormuz. Additional background includes a drone strike halting oil loading at Iraqi export terminals (July 16) and confirmed Iranian cruise missile strikes on UAE tankers (July 14), indicating a sustained campaign targeting energy infrastructure.
The origin of the drones has not been officially confirmed by U.S. or Egyptian authorities. The IRGC claim of responsibility remains unverified. The full extent of the damage and any potential casualties are still emerging.
21 developments
- DevelopingHouthis reportedly attacked two Saudi oil tankers in Gulf of Aden, Israel Hayom says
- DevelopingHouthi fast attack boats strike oil tanker near the Gulf of Aden
- StrongIRGC claims fatal tanker attack, warns against US cooperation in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingOil tanker attacked by small boats off Yemen's Aden coast, report says
Source and signal
- Open-source intake