Egyptian officials have denied any attack on a port, according to a report Wednesday evening. The denial does not specify which port is referenced, and the claim has not been independently verified.
Egyptian officials have denied any attack on a port, according to a report at 19:22 Jerusalem time, less than 20 minutes after a series of reports from multiple sources confirmed a drone strike on a U.S.-owned LNG facility at Egypt's Damietta port. The denial does not specify which port is referenced, leaving ambiguity over whether it addresses the Damietta incident or another location.
The earlier reports, all published at 19:04 Jerusalem, began with maritime security firm Ambrey reporting a drone strike on a U.S.-owned LNG floating storage facility at Damietta Port. The Egyptian Maritime Security Authority then confirmed an airstrike on the facility, with speculation of Iranian involvement. Reuters, i24NEWS, and Israeli media (N12) subsequently reported that a gas tanker had been struck by a suicide drone, with details on damage and casualties still emerging. The latest version of the thread before the denial stated that an LNG facility was hit, with rescue operations underway and reported casualties.
The denial adds to a pattern of conflicting reports in the region. As The Zioneer reported earlier, Iranian state media denied damage to the port on Sirik Island following a U.S. strike, and CENTCOM repeatedly rejected Iranian claims of attacks on U.S. Navy ships.
It remains unclear whether the Egyptian denial refers to the Damietta port incident. The earlier Egyptian confirmation from the Maritime Security Authority has not been retracted. The denial is unverified by independent sources, and no group has claimed responsibility for the initial strike.
20 developments
- DevelopingArmy Radio reports unusual drone interception near Dead Sea on Jordan border this morning
- StrongAl-Banna Brigades claim responsibility for attack on U.S. gas tanker in Damietta
- StrongIDF assesses with high probability Iraqi Shiite militia launched drones intercepted near Dead Sea, Mount Hermon
- StrongDrone strike reported on target in Shiite town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Open-source intake