Fire erupts on ships at Egypt’s Damietta port

Oil ministry says no injuries in incident affecting two vessels, with port operations expected to resume overnight.

Two ships used for the processing and storage of gas have caught fire in the Egyptian port of Damietta, without causing injuries, according to the oil ministry.

“The situation was handled immediately in accordance with emergency and rapid response plans,” the ministry said on Wednesday, without identifying the cause of the blaze.

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In an earlier statement, maritime shipping service Inchcape said a blast occurred at the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. Port operations are expected to resume overnight at other berths and terminals, it added.

The Reuters news agency, citing British maritime security company Ambrey, reported that a US-owned floating storage tanker at the port had been hit by a drone. Crew members were evacuated, and the fire was brought under control, the report said.

There has not been any claim of responsibility.

The incident comes as US President Donald Trump promised to hit Iran “hard” following a wave of Iranian missile attacks targeting US bases in the region and US-Saudi Arabia joint attacks on a Tehran-backed armed group in Iraq, which killed at least 20 fighters.

The attacks on multiple fronts mark a resumption of hostilities after a few days of relative calm. Earlier this week, Trump had abruptly stopped bombing Iran after 13 days in what US officials claimed was an attempt to give diplomacy a chance.