Salalah Port under fire: Drones strike oil storage tanks in strategic Omani hub | WATCH

Salalah: Unmanned aircraft targeted fuel infrastructure at Oman’s Port of Salalah on Wednesday, state media reported, as the Iranian campaign against Gulf logistical hubs continues in response to U.S. and Israeli military operations.

Oman News Agency, citing a government security source, reported that while several drones were successfully intercepted and shot down, others struck fuel tanks within the port facility. Authorities confirmed that the attack resulted in no human casualties, though eyewitnesses reported thick plumes of smoke rising from the southern section of the harbour.

The private maritime security firm Vanguard Tech reported that operations at the port were suspended following the strike. The suspension has effectively paralysed the general cargo and liquid terminals, which serve as critical nodes for regional fuel distribution and maritime transhipment.

Tehran has maintained a consistent strategy of targeting energy production and storage sites throughout the Gulf states. These retaliatory strikes are a direct response to the joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran that began on Feb. 28, following the death of the nation's Supreme Leader.

The Port of Salalah, located on the Arabian Sea, had been operating as a vital alternative to the now-obstructed Strait of Hormuz. Analysts suggest that the targeting of such facilities aims to exacerbate the global energy crisis and place economic pressure on Western-aligned nations to cease their offensive.

With inputs from AFP