Drones target fuel tanks at Oman's Duqm Port

04/03/2026 07:10 AST

Fuel storage facilities at Oman's strategic Port of Duqm were targeted by multiple Iranian drones on Tuesday, with at least one unmanned aerial vehicle striking a fuel tank, according to the Oman News Agency (ONA), which cited a security source.

Authorities said the damage was contained and no casualties were reported. Emergency response teams were deployed to the site, and operations were brought under control without any reported disruption to broader port activity.

Strategic significance of Duqm
Located on Oman's southeast coast along the Arabian Sea, the Port of Duqm lies outside the Strait of Hormuz - a chokepoint that has seen heightened tensions amid ongoing regional conflict. Its position gives it strategic importance as an alternative shipping and energy hub for Gulf producers seeking routes that bypass the Strait.

Duqm forms the centrepiece of Oman's Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD), a flagship diversification project aimed at reducing the Sultanate's reliance on oil revenues. The deep-water port, developed with significant foreign investment including Chinese participation under the Belt and Road Initiative, is designed to handle container cargo, bulk commodities, hydrocarbons and dry dock operations.

The port is integrated with the nearby Duqm refinery and petrochemical complex, a joint venture between Oman's OQ Group and Kuwait Petroleum International, which began full commercial operations in recent years. The refinery has a capacity of around 230,000 barrels per day and plays a key role in Oman's downstream ambitions.

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