At least three maritime tracking firms reported a fire broke out at Egypt's Damietta port on the Mediterranean Sea on 29/7, damaging two gas-carrying vessels. This appears to be the first attack on commercial ships in Egypt since the Middle East conflict intensified in late February.
British maritime security company Ambrey's initial assessment indicated a strike by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hit the US-owned gas storage vessel Energos Winter. The fire then spread to GasLog's liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Salem.
Maritime risk management firm Vanguard reported Energos Winter was struck on its starboard side by "an unidentified object." The ensuing fire was quickly contained.
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Rescue teams at Damietta port extinguishing a fire on the gas carrier Energos Winter on 29/7. Photo: Times of Israel |
A spokesperson for Energos Infrastructure, owner of the Energos Winter, stated they could not verify if a UAV attack caused the fire. Marina Leonidhopoulos, a representative for GasLog, confirmed the Salem caught fire "after an explosion" but could not conclude the cause.
The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum confirmed a fire at Damietta port, but did not mention UAVs striking cargo ships or state the incident's cause. Egyptian officials confirmed no casualties, and the extent of the damage is being assessed.
Two Iranian sources told the Times the UAV attack aimed to warn that "global maritime transport and energy supplies could face severe disruption if Tehran escalates the conflict."
The sources did not confirm whether Iran directly launched the attack or if proxy forces carried it out.
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Location of Egypt's Damietta port on the Mediterranean Sea. Graphics: Google Maps |
President Donald Trump stated on 29/7 he was briefed on the explosion at the Egyptian port and implied Iran was responsible, but offered no evidence.
The attacks on Damietta port raised concerns that trade through the Mediterranean and Egyptian ports could face greater security risks.
The Middle East conflict is broadening after the US and Iran resumed exchanges of attacks.
Iran has repeatedly launched ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles targeting US forces in Jordan, not limiting targets to the Gulf region. The US and Saudi Arabia also attacked pro-Iran forces in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Houthi group in Yemen declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and targeted its fuel infrastructure.
By Thanh Danh (Reuters, Al Jazeera, Times of Israel)
