Key facts
- A drone strike damaged two gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port near the Suez Canal.
- The incident occurred as the U.S. military struck Iran's Revolutionary Guards' military command centres and drone facilities.
- No group has claimed responsibility for the drone strike in Egypt.
- Trading sources identified the U.S.-owned gas storage tanker Energos Winter as one of the struck vessels.
- The U.S. strikes on Iran resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for striking a U.S. base in Jordan.
- Saudi Arabia publicly joined U.S. strikes against Iran-aligned groups in Iraq.
A drone strike on gas vessels in Egypt's Damietta port has heightened concerns about threats to navigation through the Suez Canal, a critical global shipping lane, amid an escalating U.S.-Iran conflict. The incident occurred as the U.S. military carried out strikes on Iran's Revolutionary Guards' military command centres and drone facilities.
Egypt's cabinet confirmed that an initial investigation indicated an unidentified drone caused a fire on Wednesday on two vessels at Damietta port, which is located near the Suez Canal. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities are implementing measures to protect national security. Trading sources identified the U.S.-owned gas storage tanker Energos Winter as one of the vessels hit, with the fire spreading to another ship.
In response to Iranian attacks on U.S. forces, the U.S. military announced strikes on dozens of targets inside Iran, including command centres and drone facilities. Iranian state media reported that three civilians were killed and two children wounded in U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island, while three Guards members died in Zanjan province. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for striking the U.S.-run Azraq base in Jordan and vowed retaliation.
Jordan's armed forces reported intercepting five Iranian missiles and preventing another Iranian attempt to target the kingdom. The military also stated Iran had fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan, which have become primary Iranian targets. Separately, Kuwait's Defence Ministry reported an Iranian strike hit a building owned by a Chinese company in northern Kuwait, killing one worker and causing significant damage.
Saudi Arabia publicly joined U.S. strikes for the first time in the five-month war, targeting Iran-aligned groups in eastern Iraq in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi oil targets. Following these joint attacks, Saudi Arabia's defense minister met with Vice President JD Vance in Washington to advocate against further escalation of the conflict.