Mystery Over Who Targeted Egypt’s Damietta Port Raises Questions

Cargo ship docked at Damietta Port (Damietta Port Authority on Facebook)

Cairo is pressing ahead with an investigation into a drone attack on two vessels at Egypt’s northern port of Damietta, as Iran, Israel, and Yemen’s Houthis deny any role in the incident.

An expert told Asharq Al-Awsat that security, political, and economic considerations could explain why no party had claimed responsibility.

He said any Egyptian response would “require preparations” and follow “an entirely different course away from the media,” adding that a forceful response would likely remain a secondary option.

Investigation continues

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the authorities were investigating the details and circumstances of the attack, according to a statement from the presidency issued after a telephone call with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday evening.

Sisi warned of the dangers posed by the escalating regional tensions and called for Egypt, Spain, Europe, and the wider international community to work together to contain them.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Egypt had recovered debris from the drone used in Wednesday’s attack and was examining it as part of the security investigation.

Egypt’s position, he said, would be based “on facts, not speculation.”

Minister of State for Information Diaa Rashwan said no findings on the cause of the incident, those responsible, or Egypt’s planned response would be announced until the investigation was complete and a clear picture had emerged.

Ahmed Fouad Anwar, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said the absence of a claim of responsibility deepened the mystery but would not prevent investigators from identifying those responsible.

He said the perpetrators may have stayed silent to avoid an Egyptian response permitted under international law, as well as for political and economic reasons.

Damietta Port Authority headquarters (Authority's Facebook page)

Iran denies involvement

Iran’s mission in Egypt published several statements explicitly denying Tehran’s involvement.

It quoted a Foreign Ministry source as saying Iran “did not carry out this operation” and had no intention of conducting such an attack.

The source described relations with Egypt as firm and based on mutual respect and shared interests.

The mission also quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei as saying the drone attack had no connection to Iran and accusing the United States of driving insecurity across the region.

Baghaei also cited the discovery of Ukrainian-linked cells in Iraq as a threat to regional security, raising the possibility that an unidentified party was behind the attack.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X on Thursday evening that Egypt was an important regional partner and friend, and that Egypt's security was a top priority for Tehran.

“We must all remain vigilant against Israeli conspiracies,” he said.

The Israeli military also denied media reports linking it to the attack on Damietta port. The Houthis said on their website that it was not responsible.

Rashwan later said Araghchi’s denial deserved close attention, but stressed that Egypt’s official position would rest solely on the findings of the investigation.

Amid the uncertainty, Egyptian media outlets floated several scenarios.

Al-Masry Al-Youm published approximate direct distances to Damietta, based on Google Earth: Israel, 250-450 km; eastern Libya, 900-1,200 km; Syria, 550-750 km; Iraq, 950-1,200 km; Yemen, 1,700-2,200 km; and Iran, 1,500-1,900 km.

The newspaper did not accuse any party.

Anwar said Egypt would weigh its decisions carefully and would not be drawn into war or conflict.

Whoever was ultimately blamed — whether Iran and its proxies or Israel and its agents — any response would require preparation and would unfold away from the media, he said.

A forceful response, he added, would likely remain the second option.