Oman’s large commercial port at Duqm came under attack on Sunday when two drones struck the area in which one worker was injured. The country has been acting as a peaceful mediator in regional conflicts. This is the first time Oman has reported being hit since the recent escalation of violence across the Gulf region.
According to the Oman News Agency, two unmanned drones approached Duqm Port early Sunday. One of them hit a mobile workers’ accommodation site on the port grounds. A foreign worker who was nearby was hurt and taken for treatment. Officials say he was injured but is expected to survive.
The second drone did not directly hit anything important. Instead, its debris fell near fuel storage tanks which is a dangerous place however, luckily, there were no fires, no further injuries and no damage to equipment.
Oman’s Role as Mediator
According to reports, the strike is serious because Oman had been largely untouched by the recent wave of attacks that followed Iran’s recent military moves in the region. Oman has been acting as a mediator between the United States and Iran and was helping with talks on nuclear issues, and its territory has generally been seen as safe from the rising tensions around the Gulf. This incident breaks that sense of immunity and raises questions about whether Oman was intentionally targeted or if the drones simply veered off course from another part of the spreading conflict.
Reports say that Oman’s Ministry of Defense quickly responded to the incident with a public statement. The ministry asked people not to share photos, videos, or rumors about the strike until official information is available. “Please make sure the information comes from official sources. May Allah protect Oman,” the statement said.
US Embassy in Oman issues advisory
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Oman told its staff to shelter in place, saying there was “ongoing activity outside of Muscat,” the capital city. The embassy also recommended that all US citizens in Oman do the same until more is known. It was not clear whether this warning was directly related to the Duqm drone strike or to separate security concerns.
The port at Duqm is one of Oman’s biggest, handling commercial shipping and trade. It sits on the Arabian Sea and serves as a major route for goods coming in and out of the region. Oman has worked for years to build trade and diplomatic ties based on peace and negotiation. This attack tests that position and adds a new layer of uncertainty as the wider Gulf conflict continues to unfold.
