The Egyptian cabinet said on Thursday, July 30, that an unidentified drone caused a fire on two vessels at the Mediterranean port on Wednesday, adding that no group had claimed responsibility for the attack and authorities were taking measures to protect national security.

Damietta port is located near the Suez Canal, a vital global trade route linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and a major passage for energy exports, including oil shipments from Gulf countries.

Trading sources familiar with the incident said the drone struck the U.S.-owned gas storage tanker Energos Winter, causing a fire that spread to another vessel.

The incident came as the United States launched new strikes against Iran, targeting military facilities after Tehran fired on U.S. forces in the region.

The U.S. Central Command said it carried out a two-hour operation at midnight, hitting dozens of targets, including Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ military command centres and drone facilities.

The command said the operation was aimed “to further diminish threats posed by Iran and its proxies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighbouring Gulf countries”.

Iranian state media reported that three people were killed in U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed retaliation.

“With the help of God, the aggressor will be punished today,” the group said in a statement carried by state media.

The conflict has also spread to other parts of the region.

Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said an Iranian attack on Thursday hit a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait, killing one worker and causing significant damage.

Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted five missiles in a new Iranian attempt to target the kingdom.

The development followed Iranian ballistic missile attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan on Wednesday, which have become key targets amid the escalating confrontation.

Saudi Arabia has joined the United States in strikes against Iran while also warning against further escalation, as oil markets remain supported by growing concerns over possible disruptions to regional energy supplies.

The latest attacks have increased fears that commercial shipping routes in the Middle East could become a new battlefield in the U.S.-Iran conflict, threatening global trade and energy flows.