Ships docked on the wharf of the Mediterranean sea port of Damietta. AFP
A source at Yemen's internationally recognized government's foreign ministry said that Yemen was not involved in the drone attack that struck a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and a storage vessel at Damietta Port on Egypt's Mediterranean coast.
Separately, a Houthi source told the Yemeni News Agency, Saba, that the group's position is “clear, publicly declared, and unequivocal,” stressing that its military operations are directed solely at Saudi Arabia in response to what it described as the kingdom's “unjust blockade and continued aggression against the Yemeni people.”
The source also said navigation in the Red Sea remains safe and claimed there was “no justification for the concerns the Saudi regime is attempting to promote,” accusing Riyadh of trying to extricate itself from “the predicament it has created.”
Meanwhile, an Iranian Foreign Ministry source denied to the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar that Tehran had targeted the floating storage and regasification unit at Damietta Port.
“Iran did not carry out this operation at all, nor does it have any intention of undertaking such an action,” the source said.
The source added that “the friendly and deep-rooted relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and between the Iranian and Egyptian peoples, are longstanding and solid, based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
Earlier on Thursday, the Egyptian cabinet announced that preliminary investigations had found that a drone caused the fire that struck the two vessels at Damietta Port after the blaze had been brought under control.
No party has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the cabinet.
In a statement, the cabinet said the relevant authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and to take the necessary measures to protect Egypt's interests and national security.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources stated that a fire had broken out aboard a floating storage and regasification unit and a storage vessel at Damietta Port on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, adding that no injuries or fatalities were reported.
The ministry said emergency response plans were activated immediately, with on-site firefighting and security teams working alongside the relevant authorities to contain the blaze.
The Ministry of Transport stated on Thursday that Damietta Port continues to operate at full capacity despite Wednesday's incident, with shipping traffic, vessel arrivals and departures, and cargo handling activities, including containers, dry and liquid bulk cargo, and general cargo, proceeding normally and according to approved schedules.
The ministry added that all berths and terminals remain fully operational, with pilotage, towing, mooring, and other maritime and logistics services functioning efficiently to ensure smooth vessel movements and minimize turnaround times.
Damietta Port hosts one of Egypt's two liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction plants, alongside the Idku facility.
Since 2025, the Mediterranean port has served as a key hub for floating storage and regasification vessels as Egypt has increased LNG imports to bolster gas supplies during the summer, when electricity demand peaks.
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