MUSCAT, Wednesday, March 11, 2026 (WNP): Fires continued to rage at the strategic Port of Salalah in southern Oman after multiple drone strikes hit fuel storage facilities, triggering large blazes and prompting emergency services to launch extensive firefighting operations.
Omani authorities said several unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted by air defenses, but some drones managed to strike fuel tanks at the port, igniting fires that sent thick plumes of smoke into the sky and forced the suspension of some port operations.
Civil defense teams and emergency responders have been working for hours to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to other sections of the port’s fuel storage and cargo facilities. They said no casualties have been reported so far, although damage to parts of the storage infrastructure has been confirmed.
The Port of Salalah, one of the largest maritime and transshipment hubs on the Arabian Sea, handles significant volumes of container cargo and fuel shipments, making the attack a serious concern for regional maritime security and global energy logistics.
The incident comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the widening conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, which has already seen attacks on military bases, shipping routes, and energy infrastructure across the Gulf region.
While some reports suggested that the drones may have been launched by Iranian forces as part of retaliatory operations in the region, Iranian officials have denied responsibility for the strike on the Omani port, describing the incident as suspicious and saying the matter is under investigation.
Oman, which has traditionally maintained a neutral diplomatic role and has often acted as a mediator in regional disputes, condemned the attack and said security agencies are closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary measures to safeguard national infrastructure and maritime routes.
Despite the attack, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals of Oman reassured the public that domestic fuel supplies remain stable and that the incident has not disrupted petroleum distribution across the country.
Security analysts say the strike underscores the growing vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in the Gulf as the broader regional conflict expands, raising fears that strategic ports, shipping routes, and oil facilities could become targets in the escalating confrontation.
Authorities in Oman said firefighting efforts will continue until the blaze is fully contained and an investigation into the source of the drone attack is completed.
