Drone strikes US-owned floating storage tanker at Egypt's Damietta port, causing fire

Published Jul 30, 01:29 AM UTC

On July 29, 2026, a drone struck the U.S.-owned floating storage tanker Energos Winter at Egypt's Damietta port, causing a fire that spread to another vessel, Gaslog Salem. British maritime security firm Ambrey reported the attack, while Egypt's Petroleum Ministry confirmed a fire but did not attribute it to a drone. The incident occurred amid escalating regional conflict, following Iran's missile attack on U.S. forces in Jordan and U.S.-Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Yemen's Houthi group declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. The fire was extinguished with no casualties, and Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi oversaw the response. The attack signals a potential widening of the Middle East conflict.