Preliminary investigations found that a drone caused the fire involving two vessels at Damietta Port, the Egyptian Cabinet said on Thursday, confirming for the first time that the blaze which erupted a day earlier was the result of an attack rather than an accident.

In a statement on Thursday, the Cabinet said no party has claimed responsibility for the incident.

The announcement followed preliminary investigations conducted after emergency teams brought the fire under control.

The Cabinet added that relevant authorities are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and take the necessary measures to safeguard Egypt’s interests and national security.

A fire broke out on a regasification ship and a storage vessel at Egypt’s Damietta port, with no injuries or human casualties reported, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said.

Following the report of the incident, the minister of petroleum and mineral resources Karim Badawi travelled to the site to monitor the situation, oversee the containment and securing operations.

According to the ministry, Badawi is overseeing the implementation of safety procedures and ensuring full coordination between relevant authorities until the situation is safely resolved.

The competent authorities and the on-site firefighting and safety teams dealt with the situation immediately according to approved emergency and rapid response plans, the statement noted.

Necessary measures are currently being taken to assess the repercussions of the incident, while emergency teams and technical authorities continue their required work at the site based on approved standards.

The ministry also urged media outlets and social media users to rely on official statements for information, saying it would continue to provide updates as developments emerge.

The Damietta Port Authority confirmed on Thursday the continued full operational efficiency of the port, with all terminals and berths experiencing regular vessel arrivals and departures, along with ongoing loading, unloading, and cargo handling of all types.

Egypt initially said on Wednesday that a fire broke out on a FSRU and storage vessel at Damietta port, without causing any casualties.

The Cabinet’s latest statement confirms the involvement of a drone but does not assign responsibility to any country, organisation or individual. It also does not publicly establish a motive or connect the incident to any of the parties involved in ongoing regional hostilities.

In an official statement, the Cabinet said that after the fire was brought under control, “preliminary investigations… determined that it was the result of a drone,” adding that “no party has claimed responsibility for the incident.”

The incident, on which US president Donald Trump said he had been briefed, came amid an escalation in the US-Iran conflict.

Alongside Yemen’s Houthis declaring a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, the latest exchanges suggest the ​conflict is spreading further ⁠than it has since the US and Israel started bombing Iran in ‌February.