Cairo, July 30: Egypt has confirmed that a drone strike caused fires aboard two vessels at Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast, marking the first direct attack on Egyptian infrastructure since the outbreak of the Iran–United States conflict.
According to Egypt’s Cabinet, a preliminary investigation found that a drone was responsible for the July 29 incident. Emergency response teams quickly contained the fires, and no casualties were reported. Authorities said investigations are continuing and that all necessary measures will be taken to safeguard national security.
The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum said the affected vessels were being used for gas-related operations at the port. British maritime security firm Ambrey reported that the explosion occurred at a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility operated by a U.S.-owned company and sailing under the Marshall Islands flag. Crew members were safely evacuated, and the fire was brought under control.
Separately, shipping services provider Inchcape said the blast did not halt operations for long, with other terminals at Damietta Port expected to resume normal activity overnight.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident came just hours before U.S. forces resumed military operations against Iran following a five-day pause in hostilities. At the same time, Saudi Arabia reportedly joined the United States in strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq after months of attempting to avoid direct involvement in the conflict.
The renewed military activity follows recent Iranian missile attacks on U.S. military facilities in the region and U.S.-Saudi strikes that reportedly killed at least 20 Iran-backed fighters in Iraq. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed a “strong” response to Iran.
The latest developments suggest the Iran–U.S. conflict is spreading beyond its original fronts, raising concerns over broader regional instability across the Middle East.
