Drone Attack Hits US LNG Vessels at Egypt's Damietta Port

A drone attack on Wednesday struck a US-owned liquefied natural gas vessel at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, causing a fire that spread to a second ship.

The Energos Winter, a Marshall Islands-flagged floating storage and regasification unit owned by New Fortress Energy, was hit by the drone on its starboard side at approximately 3:20 pm CET. The nearby Bermuda-flagged LNG tanker Gaslog Salem was also affected, with both crews evacuated.

The fire was brought under control, but it disrupted operations at the terminal and forced both vessels to move offshore for assessment. Egyptian authorities confirmed that preliminary investigations found the incident was caused by a drone, making it the first official confirmation of an attack on Egyptian soil since the war between Iran and the US began in February.

No side has claimed responsibility yet, but tensions are high as the region enters one of its most volatile periods since the war began. The incident comes amid reported plans by Yemen's Houthi group to impose a toll on passing cargo ships through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, which could further imperil Egypt's Suez Canal.