Egypt's Cabinet confirmed that a drone strike caused a fire on two gas vessels at the Mediterranean port of Damietta, Reuters reported. The Cabinet did not identify who carried out the attack, stating that investigations were ongoing.
The drone hit a U.S.-owned, Marshall Island-flagged floating gas storage tanker. No casualties were reported, according to maritime security firm Ambrey.
Ahmad Sharawi, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggested that Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen were likely responsible, noting the strike resembled Iranian attacks on civilian infrastructure elsewhere in the region. He told JNS: "This attack might be a message to the Egyptians that we can reach the Suez Canal and we can really close the Suez Canal."
Two Iranian sources told The New York Times the drone attack was intended to show that global shipping and energy supplies could face deeper disruption if Iran escalated, heavily implying Iranian involvement. They did not clarify whether Tehran or its regional proxies carried out the strike.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the attack and reiterated an earlier threat to hit Iran "hard" In response to recent Iranian missile and drone strikes against U.S. Forces in Jordan. "It's our turn to hit them," Trump said. "They know it's coming. They're asking us not to do it."
Regional military activity continued Thursday. Kuwait reported that Iran struck a building belonging to a Chinese company in the north of the country, killing one employee and causing heavy damage. Jordan's military said it downed five Iranian missiles in early morning hours.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it redirected two tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz after a fire broke out on one vessel via an "unsafe route."
The U.S. Military launched what it described as a "heavy wave of strikes" Against Iranian targets the previous night. U.S. Central Command said the "powerful response," Lasting roughly two hours, struck dozens of IRGC sites, hitting military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities.