How Were the Gas Carriers in Damietta Targeted? Misbar’s Visual Analysis Reconstructs the Attack

Misbar's analysis suggests the two vessels were targeted from the east | Misbar

On the evening of July 29, reports began to emerge that a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) moored at Egypt's Damietta Port had come under attack by a drone. The rare incident had repercussions extending across Egypt's northern coast amid escalating regional tensions.

Roughly two hours after news of the incident spread, Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum announced that a fire had broken out aboard a regasification vessel and a gas storage vessel inside the port, without specifying the cause. On the morning of July 30, the Egyptian Cabinet confirmed that the fire resulted from a drone attack but did not identify the party responsible.

The attack occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which has continued since February 28, raising questions about the nature of the operation, the drone's flight path, and those behind the attack.

In this report, Misbar at Al Araby TV reconstructs the sequence of events at Damietta Port using available maritime tracking data, open-source intelligence, and satellite imagery.

Initial Findings: The Targeted Vessels and the Nature of the Attack

According to Reuters, the two damaged vessels were Energos Winter and GASLOG SALEM. Citing informed sources, Reuters reported that the drone first struck Energos Winter, before the fire spread to GASLOG SALEM.

Misbar independently verified the identities of the two vessels using photographs and videos captured during firefighting operations, confirming that the affected vessels were indeed Energos Winter and GASLOG SALEM.

Maritime tracking data from MarineTraffic also confirms that both vessels were surrounded by tugboats at the time of the incident, which later escorted them from their berths into open waters.

Energos Winter is a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) bearing IMO number 9256614. It is one of four such vessels operating in Egypt and the only one stationed at Damietta Port, while the other three operate at Ain Sokhna Port, according to Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum.

The vessel sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. It is owned by Energos Infrastructure, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, managed by the U.S.-based Wilhelmsen, and operated by New Fortress Energy.

According to maritime records, Energos Winter arrived in Damietta from Turkey on September 30, 2025. It gradually entered service in October 2025 after being connected to the United Gas Derivatives Company (UGDC) terminal, reaching a regasification capacity of 138,250 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas, according to the Damietta Port Authority.

According to maritime records, Energos Winter arrived in Damietta from Turkey on September 30, 2025.

Meanwhile, GASLOG SALEM is an LNG carrier with IMO number 9638915, sailing under the Bermuda flag. It is owned by CL GAS TEN LTD, registered in Greece, and managed and operated by GasLog LNG Services.

MarineTraffic data shows that the vessel arrived at Damietta Port on July 28, just one day before the attack.

Maritime tracking data further indicates that Energos Winter and GASLOG SALEM were moored at separate berths more than 800 meters apart when the incident occurred.

Analysis of videos published by news organizations shows that Energos Winter was berthed at the UGDC propane loading terminal, specifically at coordinates 31.475081, 31.751129.

UGDC operates an Egyptian-owned propane export terminal at Damietta Port with a total storage capacity of 30,000 cubic meters.

Misbar's findings are consistent with MarineTraffic data, which also shows Energos Winter docked at the UGDC berth, while GASLOG SALEM was berthed at the LNG terminal more than 800 meters away.

The distance separating the two vessels casts doubt on the official account that the fire spread from one vessel to the other, particularly as local residents reported hearing two explosions around 11:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. Cairo time).

Statements by Egypt's Minister of Transport, Kamel El-Wazir, further reinforce the possibility that the vessels sustained two separate strikes. He stated that one drone exploded near the upper gangway of the storage vessel without causing significant structural damage, while another struck a pipe and an auxiliary tank atop the regasification unit, causing a gas leak and subsequent fire.

His account aligns with witness reports from Damietta residents who said they heard two explosions during the incident.

The minister's remarks implicitly suggest the use of at least two drones, as the drone that struck the first vessel exploded before the second vessel was hit. However, Egyptian authorities have not officially confirmed the number of drones involved, and reports of two explosions alone cannot conclusively prove two separate attacks, as one blast may have resulted from a secondary explosion following the initial strike.

The minister's remarks implicitly suggest the use of at least two drones

Misbar also estimated the timing of the attack by analyzing tugboat movements. The first tugboat, ABOU ZAID (IMO 9329007), departed at 11:07 UTC, followed shortly by five additional tugboats heading toward the affected vessels.

Where Did the Drone Come From?

No official authority has identified the drone's launch point. Egyptian authorities merely stated that no party had claimed responsibility, while speculation pointed toward Iran or one of its regional allies.

In Tehran's first official response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi implicitly denied Iranian involvement. Writing on X, he described Egypt as "an important friend and partner in the region" and stressed that Egypt's security is of utmost importance to Iran, warning against what he called Israeli "false flag operations" designed to undermine regional peace.

This was not the first time Iran accused Israel of orchestrating such incidents. Since the war began on February 28, Tehran has repeatedly denied involvement in regional attacks, including drone strikes in Saudi Arabia and Oman, instead accusing Israel of carrying them out.

Despite Iran's denial, The New York Times, citing two unnamed Iranian sources, reported that the attack involved a drone intended to demonstrate that global shipping and energy supplies could face greater disruption should Iran choose to escalate. The report did not specify whether the drone was launched by Iran, one of its allies, or another actor.

For their part, Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthis) denied responsibility. Senior political official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told the media that the group publicly claims responsibility for every operation it conducts, implying Israeli involvement by saying that targeting Egyptian interests serves only Israel and the United States.

The possibility that the drone was launched from a nearby maritime platform also remains technically plausible, though unproven. In July 2025, Ukrainian military intelligence disclosed that on September 11, 2024, members of the Raven Group launched FPV drones from boats in the Black Sea to strike Russian positions on the Petro Hodovalets offshore gas platform near Crimea.

That operation demonstrated how drones can be launched from maritime platforms close to their targets, reducing warning time and eliminating the need for long-range flights. Although the circumstances surrounding the Damietta incident remain unclear, a sea-based launch remains operationally feasible.

That operation demonstrated how drones can be launched from maritime platforms close to their targets

Misbar Analyzes the Direction of the Attack

Misbar analyzed available visual material from the attack site to estimate the direction from which the drone approached.

A Reuters video shows smoke rising from the starboard aft section of Energos Winter.

Another video posted on TikTok shows both vessels immediately after the attack in the exact positions previously identified by Misbar.

Visual analysis indicates that flames originated from the upper starboard section of Energos Winter, with another fire appearing on the vessel's right side.

A separate video filmed from the dock provides a clearer view of smoke rising from the vessel's starboard side.

These findings match an assessment by the British maritime risk management company Vanguard, which also concluded that the vessel was struck from the starboard side.

Based on the vessel's berthing orientation, confirmed by MarineTraffic data and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, Energos Winter was moored with its bow facing north, meaning its starboard side faced east.

Another video filmed aboard a support vessel during firefighting operations aboard GASLOG SALEM also shows the response concentrated on the vessel's starboard side.

Combined with the geographical layout of Damietta Port, these observations suggest that the projectile or drone most likely approached from the east, while making a southern approach appears considerably less likely because of the complex maneuvering such a route would require.

Combined with the geographical layout of Damietta Port, these observations suggest that the projectile or drone most likely approached from the east

Technical Analysis May Reveal the Drone's Origin

Technically, analysis of the recovered drone debris could help determine the drone's flight path, manufacturer, and possibly identify those responsible.

Egyptian authorities have confirmed that drone wreckage was recovered from the attack site and is currently undergoing forensic examination.

Misbar's analysis highlights several indicators that help reconstruct the events at Damietta Port around 2:00 p.m. local time.

Official statements maintain that a single drone struck one vessel before the fire spread to the other. However, that account is challenged by physical evidence and multiple witness reports describing two explosions inside the port.

Residents also reported hearing no drone engine noise, port workers did not observe any drone, no footage captured the aircraft itself, and neither air raid sirens nor air defense systems were activated, suggesting the drone may have escaped radar detection.

Based on the scale of the fire and the relatively limited damage sustained by both vessels, the attack appears to have involved a small explosive payload. It also appears to have been highly precise, avoiding critical infrastructure such as loading arms, LNG storage tanks, and control rooms, despite both vessels carrying natural gas at the time.

Based on the scale of the fire and the relatively limited damage sustained by both vessels,

According to Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir, the drone that struck the first vessel damaged only the upper gangway, while the second hit a pipe and an auxiliary tank without reaching the main cargo.

Video footage recorded after firefighters extinguished the blaze aboard Energos Winter shows no significant structural damage to the hull or other sensitive sections of the vessel.

Compared with previous Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Damietta incident more closely resembles a precision-guided drone strike using a relatively small warhead, rather than a "launch-and-forget" drone, which cannot alter course after launch and is generally slower and easier to detect due to its louder acoustic signature.

According to MarineTraffic data, GASLOG SALEM departed the port partially loaded, while Energos Winter appears to have left fully loaded for security reasons.

A video recorded by a beachgoer on July 30 supports that assessment, showing Energos Winter anchored off the coast of Damietta while firefighting operations were still underway.