Egypt's Damietta port drone strike prompts Arab condemnations
On 29 July 2026 a drone attack hit two vessels in Egypt’s northern port of Damietta, igniting a fire. The Egyptian cabinet confirmed the strike was caused by a drone and noted no group has claimed responsibility. Arab foreign ministries — including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and others — issued strong condemnations, labeling the act a serious threat to international navigation, regional security and global energy supplies. The UAE foreign ministry called it an escalation that endangers maritime trade. Bahrain described it as a violation of international law and an assault on regional stability. Saudi and Jordanian officials, together with Kuwait’s foreign minister, reiterated solidarity with Egypt and urged an immediate halt to such attacks, emphasizing diplomatic solutions.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati held a series of coordination calls with his counterparts: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, the Jordanian foreign minister, and Kuwait’s foreign minister. A separate conversation took place with U.S. Middle‑East envoy Steve Witekoff, discussing regional de‑escalation efforts. All parties stressed the need for political dialogue to preserve security and stability in the region.
Entities: Ayman Al‑Safadi · Badr Abdelati · Damietta Port · Dr. Badr Abdelati · Egypt · Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud · Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan · Sheikh Jaber Al‑Ahmad Al‑Sabah
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witekoff discussed the regional situation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati. (single)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati held phone calls with UAE's Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Jordanian and Kuwaiti foreign ministers regarding the incident. (single)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The attack was described as an escalation that threatens maritime trade and global energy supplies. (single)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other Arab states issued condemnations and expressed full solidarity with Egypt. (multiple)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack, calling it a serious threat to international navigation and regional security. (single)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Egyptian cabinet announced the attack was caused by a drone and that no organization claimed responsibility. (multiple)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Arab foreign ministries called for an immediate halt to attacks on maritime facilities and emphasized diplomatic solutions. (multiple)
- [● 4 SOURCES] A drone attack targeted two ships at Egypt's Damietta port on 29 July 2026, causing a fire. (multiple)