Egypt analysing drone fragments from port strike, warns of ‘escalation’

CAIRO - Egypt’s government said on July 30 authorities were analysing drone fragments from an unprecedented strike on one of its Mediterranean ports, after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned of regional escalation.

His government had earlier confirmed that a fire the day before on two gas vessels in the Damietta port – one of which was United States-owned – was a result of a drone strike, the first to target the country since the outbreak of the Middle East war.

Officials have struck a cautious tone in the aftermath, warning against both regional “escalation” and “speculation”.

In his first statement addressing the strike on July 29, al-Sisi warned of the “danger of regional escalation”, in a call with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Authorities were carrying out an ongoing investigation into the strike, after “technical teams boarded the ship and examined the remains of the drone, which security agencies are currently analysing and studying to establish with certainty its origin”, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said.

The drone strike, similar to others that have hit Egypt’s Gulf and Arab allies throughout the US-Israeli war against Iran, has not been claimed by any warring party.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X on July 30 that Egypt was an “important friend and partner in the region”, and suggested the attack was an Israeli false-flag operation.

Iran’s Houthi ally in Yemen denied it was involved, calling reports they had attacked Egypt “unfounded rumours”.

Egypt has not accused any party of the attacks. During a press conference on July 30, Madbouly said there had been “speculation and opinions – but the state does not rely on undocumented speculations or theories”.

Egypt, spared direct involvement in the war, has for months played a conservative peacemaker role that analysts say it is unlikely to abandon now, even after it has come under attack itself.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held calls with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Kuwait on July 30, during which he also urged “de-escalation” and “diplomatic and political solutions”.

Emergency supply from Jordan

Madbouly’s press conference detailed the events of July 29, of which he said his office received notice at 2.20pm (7.20pm Singapore time), after two vessels caught fire at Damietta port.

The ships were identified as the US-owned Energos Winter storage and re-gasification vessel and the GasLog Salem tanker, which had been attached before both were separated and towed into the open sea, for fear of “an explosion that could impact the entire port”.

He said the storage vessel was “100-per cent intact”, while the other suffered some damage.

The affected vessel did, however, manage to pump natural gas into Egypt’s domestic network, which suffers an energy deficit especially in the summer months.

Madbouly said Egypt has moved to resupply from an emergency facility in the Gulf of Aqaba, according to another agreement with ally Jordan.

His government has put out multiple statements affirming that marine traffic is flowing normally and the Damietta port remains operational.

Egypt’s shipping industry, of which the crown jewel is the Suez Canal, is one of its largest foreign currency earners.

The safety of its Mediterranean coast, Suez’s northern gateway, is crucial to shipping flows through Egypt, which has absorbed substantial traffic rerouted from the Gulf during the war.

Madbouly’s office had said earlier the government would take all “necessary measures to preserve Egypt’s interests and national security”.

The attack on July 29 took place as the US and Iran returned to hostilities following a brief lull in fighting aimed at reviving negotiations.

Iran fired a salvo of missiles at US assets in Jordan, while Washington retaliated with a “heavy wave of strikes” on the Islamic republic. AFP