An Iranian drone struck the Ras Al-Jaima port in Oman on Tuesday morning, triggering a loud explosion and sending a plume of black smoke into the sky, according to videos circulating online.
The attack came as Tehran continued its retaliatory campaign in the wake of the joint US and Israeli military operations that resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Unverified footage widely shared on social media shows what appears to be a drone descending toward an installation at the port before bursting into flames. Moments later, a thick column of smoke rises from the port area — one of Oman’s key maritime and logistics hubs.
Iran has been targeting critical infrastructure and US-linked assets in Gulf nations whose governments maintain close ties with Washington.
In a separate incident, Oman’s Port of Duqm was targeted “by a number of drones,” according to a security source cited by the Oman News Agency.
One fuel tank was reportedly hit, but the resulting damage was contained, and no casualties were reported. Duqm had also been targeted by two drones on Sunday, injuring one worker.
The attack in Oman comes amid the rapidly escalating hostilities between Iran and the joint front of Israel and the US. Qatar halted liquefied natural gas production on Monday, Saudi Arabia suspended output at its largest domestic refinery, and major Israeli gas fields, including Leviathan, were taken offline.
Abu Dhabi’s media office said a fire broke out at the Musaffah fuel tank terminal after it was targeted by a drone, though operations were not impacted. The emirate’s state-owned oil company, ADNOC, operates a fuel distribution facility at Musaffah.
Oman had been serving as a mediator in talks between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme before the recent escalation.
MIDDLE EAST CRISIS: RISING TOLL
The ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, which have seen a sharp escalation, were triggered by the joint US-Israeli military strikes that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other high-profile figures of the country’s military and political circles over the past weekend.
Iran responded to the offensive with missile and drone attacks targeting Arab countries in the region. Tehran’s retaliation to the coordinated US-Israeli strikes has, so far, involved firing several barrages of missiles at its Gulf neighbours hosting US military bases such as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iranian forces also fired missiles at the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman. According to an estimate, more than 500 people have been killed in the rapidly evolving crisis between Iran and its arch rivals. The death toll includes six confirmed American military casualties.
(With inputs from agencies)
