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Yemen’s Houthis deny drone attack on gas vessels at Egypt’s Damietta Port

July 30, 2026 at 6:18 pm

Security forces stand guard as Houthis gather at Sabeen Square to hold a demonstration in support of Houthi leader in Yemen Abdul Malik al-Houthi’s statements in Sanaa, Yemen on July 17, 2026. [Mohammed Hamoud – Anadolu Agency]

Yemen’s Houthis on Thursday denied reports linking the group to a drone strike on two gas vessels in Egypt’s Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast, Anadolu reports.

“There is no truth to the rumors about targeting a ship at Damietta Port in the Arab Republic of Egypt,” a source at the Houthi-run Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the group-affiliated Saba news agency.

The source said the Houthis only target Saudi Arabia, calling his group’s position “clear, declared, and explicit.”

“Navigation is safe in the Red Sea, and there is no justification for any concerns,” the source added.

Earlier in the day, Egypt confirmed that a drone caused a fire aboard two vessels at Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast on Wednesday. Egyptian authorities have not yet officially identified the party behind the attack.

The confirmation came a day after an explosion struck a US-owned and operated, Marshall Islands-flagged floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility at Egypt’s Damietta Port, according to maritime risk firm Ambrey.

​​​​​​​On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump vowed a “very hard” response after the drone strike on the US-owned vessel in Egypt.

READ: Houthi official denies reports of plan to charge ships passing through Bab al-Mandab