Drone Strike on Egyptian Port Raises Concerns about Suez Canal Safety
A drone strike on gas vessels at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta has raised concerns about the safety of navigation through the Suez Canal, a critical export route for Saudi oil.
The Egyptian cabinet said an initial investigation found that an unidentified drone caused a fire on two vessels at Damietta port on Wednesday, near the Suez Canal. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
The attack has been linked to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, with some analysts suggesting it may be an attempt to draw Egypt into the conflict after months of Cairo acting as a diplomatic channel between Iran and the US.
The Suez Canal is over 1,300 kilometers away from Iran and 2,000 kilometers from Yemen. Analyst HA Hellyer said 'it's unlikely that Iran would have struck Egypt directly from Iranian territory'.