Unidentified drones attacked a US-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker at Damietta port on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, setting it ablaze, according to reports Wednesday evening. A second vessel was also damaged but did not catch fire. No casualties have been reported, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Reports Wednesday evening confirm that a second vessel was also damaged in the drone strike on a US-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker at Egypt's Damietta port. The attack, first reported at 18:58 Jerusalem, initially sparked conflicting accounts, with Egyptian authorities denying an external attack. The latest reporting, as of 20:54 Jerusalem, indicates two vessels were hit, with no casualties reported and no claim of responsibility.
The story thread has evolved rapidly since 18:58 Jerusalem. Initial reports of a drone strike were followed by Egyptian security sources attributing the fire to an engine room malfunction. Shortly after, Reuters and other outlets confirmed the strike, and Iranian-linked channels released footage and claimed responsibility. The Zioneer's own reporting at 19:59 consolidated the information, noting the conflicting accounts and the damage to a second vessel. By 20:13, The Zioneer's Eye on Zion analysis placed the attack in the broader context of Iran's maritime campaign, calling it a broadening of the Iranian-led threat.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the strike on Damietta represents a significant escalation in the maritime security environment, moving beyond the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz to the Mediterranean. The Zioneer's Eye on Zion analysis at 20:13 noted that the attack demonstrates the ability to strike energy infrastructure on Egypt's coast, consistent with the Houthi plan to impose illegal shipping tolls mirroring IRGC tactics in the Hormuz.
The identity of the perpetrators remains officially unconfirmed, and no group has claimed responsibility. Egyptian authorities have not updated their initial denial of an external attack. The investigation is ongoing.
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