Drone Strike Hits Tanker at Egypt Port

A drone strike hit a US-owned floating gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Damietta Port on Wednesday, causing a fire as tensions across the Middle East escalated, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey.

The vessel, identified as Energos Winter, caught fire following the reported strike, with trading sources telling Reuters that flames later spread to a second ship. Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum confirmed that a fire had broken out at the port but did not attribute the incident to a drone attack. The ministry said emergency teams quickly brought the blaze under control and that no casualties were recorded.

The incident occurred as hostilities intensified across the region. Iran confirmed carrying out missile attacks on US military bases in Jordan and on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the United States and Saudi Arabia launched joint strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, marking Saudi Arabia’s first publicly acknowledged participation in military operations alongside Washington during the current conflict.

US President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the incident at Damietta and pledged a strong response to the latest attacks on American forces. “We’re going to hit them very hard,” he told reporters at the White House.

The renewed fighting pushed global oil prices higher, with Brent crude rising by more than 8% to trade above $90 per barrel, reversing losses recorded earlier in the week.

The cause of the fire at Damietta Port has not been independently confirmed by Egyptian authorities, and investigations into the incident are continuing.

SOURCE: Reuters