Yemen Monitor / Newsroom / Exclusive:
The Sultanate of Oman, a close ally of the Iranian regime, was not spared from military attacks. On Wednesday, it was struck by drones that targeted fuel storage tanks at the Port of Salalah, causing heavy fires to break out at the site.
According to the Oman News Agency, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq affirmed during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Oman is dissatisfied with and condemns the repeated attacks targeting its territory. He stressed that the Sultanate will take all necessary measures to preserve its security and stability.
The agency added that both sides emphasized the need to halt escalation and prioritize dialogue and diplomacy in order to spare the region the consequences of a war that threatens the security and stability of states.
In the first response from Iranian military authorities, media outlets quoted the spokesperson of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters as saying that the incident at the Port of Salalah in the friendly neighboring state of Oman appears “highly suspicious,” adding that Iran is currently investigating the matter.
Oman News Agency also quoted a security source saying that several drones were intercepted, while one drone fell onto fuel tanks at the Port of Salalah, causing no human casualties. The source noted that the relevant authorities made every effort to detect and counter these aggressive attacks.
Meanwhile, the Civil Defense and Ambulance Authority announced that firefighting operations had begun with support from the Sultan’s Armed Forces and companies operating in the area. Efforts are ongoing to contain the fire, which may take some time to fully control while ensuring all safety procedures are followed.
Oman has been subjected to Iranian attacks during the 12 days of the war. The first attack occurred on March 1, when drones targeted areas off the coast of the capital Muscat. The second attack took place on March 3, targeting the Port of Duqm with two drones; one struck a workers’ residential unit, injuring an expatriate worker, while debris from the second fell near fuel tanks, according to Omani state media. The March 11 attack is considered the third and most severe so far.
Earlier, on March 7, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced in a televised speech that attacks on neighboring countries would stop unless an attack on Iran originated from their territory. Despite this declaration, the attacks have not stopped for a single day, particularly toward Gulf countries.
