Egyptian authorities confirmed that the fire on two natural gas transport ships docked at the port last Wednesday was caused by a drone attack. This is the first time Egypt has been targeted since the outbreak of the war.
On Thursday, 30 Jul 2026 GMT+7, the Egyptian Cabinet confirmed that the fire on two natural gas carrier ships docked at Damietta port on the Mediterranean coast last Wednesday (29 Jul) was not an accident but resulted from a drone attack.
No party has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. This marks the first time Egypt has become a target since the Middle East war erupted at the end of February, occurring just days after Saudi Arabia decided to cooperate with the U.S. in attacking Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq after previously avoiding involvement.
The attack site in Egypt is close to the Suez Canal, which has become the final safe evacuation and transport route for Saudi oil to global markets after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by Iran, while the Red Sea is threatened by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Egyptian Cabinet added that officials are intensifying investigations and implementing necessary measures to protect Egypt’s national security.
According to three sources close to the event, a drone struck the floating gas storage vessel Energos Winter, owned by the U.S.-based Energos Infrastructure company, causing a fire that spread to another ship, Gaslog Salem.
Meanwhile, Vanguard, a British maritime risk management group, reported that Energos Winter was attacked on its starboard side, causing a fire that was later controlled and extinguished.
On Wednesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum stated that the fire at the port was promptly managed by expert firefighting teams and security forces, with no injuries or deaths reported. Minister Karim Badawi personally visited the site to oversee operations.
Source:japantoday