Drone Attack on Egyptian Port a Warning to Iran

Damietta, Egypt/ILLUSTRATIONS UNSPLASH/Michael Starkie

JAKARTA - The attack on a drone that targeted the Damietta port in Egypt on Wednesday is considered to be a warning from Iran that their conflict with the United States could extend far beyond the current battle area.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and there were no immediate reports of casualties.

H.A. Hellyer, a senior researcher at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said it was possible the attack was carried out by one of Tehran's proxy militias, not by Iran directly.

"This could be Iran's attempt to send a message that they have the ability to reach far beyond their own borders," he told CNN, Thursday, July 30.

According to him, Tehran likely wants to show its ability to utilize "other allies in the resistance axis" to expand the conflict.

The attack occurred during the unloading of cargo at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.

The British maritime security company, Ambrey, said its initial assessment indicated an attack on a floating LNG storage facility - owned and operated by the US and flagged to the Marshall Islands.

A number of industry sources identified the ship as Energos Winter and said the alleged drone attack triggered a fire that then spread to the second ship.

It is the first time Cairo has been dragged directly into an ongoing regional conflict, though Egypt has previously served as one of the diplomatic channels for the warring parties in an early mediation effort this year.

During the war, Egypt had condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf countries and publicly urged US President Donald Trump to end the war.

However, Egypt is not taking sides, Hellyer noted. If this is how Iran responds, he added, "it is not beneficial in efforts to keep Egypt from turning against them."

However, it is unlikely that Cairo will carry out a counterattack. "Egypt is very careful in taking offensive action," said Hellyerr.

Relations between Iran and Egypt were severed after the 1979 Iranian revolution, which marked the start of one of the longest diplomatic frictions between Tehran and an Arab country.

However, communication between the two countries' foreign ministers had increased in intensity during the US-Israeli conflict against Iran.