A fire broke out aboard two vessels at the Port of Damietta in Egypt that are used for gas processing and storage operations. The Egyptian oil ministry stated that the situation was handled promptly in accordance with established emergency response procedures. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
According to maritime shipping service Inchcape, the fire originated at the liquefied natural gas terminal following an explosion. Port officials indicated that operations at other berths and terminals were expected to resume during overnight hours following the response efforts.
Reuters, citing security firm Ambrey, reported that a US-owned floating storage tanker at the facility had been struck by a drone strike. The crew members aboard were evacuated from the vessel, and personnel subsequently brought the resulting fire under control. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
The occurrence takes place amid broader regional tensions. US President Donald Trump recently made statements about responding forcefully to Iran following Iranian missile attacks directed at US military installations in the region. This escalation follows coordinated US-Saudi military operations against an Iran-aligned armed group operating in Iraq, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 fighters. The incident marks a return to active hostilities after a brief period of reduced tensions earlier in the week, when Trump had halted bombing operations for 13 days in what US officials characterized as an effort to pursue diplomatic channels.
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