Drone attack strikes Oman's Salalah port — foreign worker injured, crane damaged

Two drones struck the port of Salalah in the far south of Oman, according to a statement carried by Oman's official news agency. One foreign worker was injured and limited damage was caused to a crane. The port, one of Oman's main commercial ports and a major transshipment hub on the Arabian Sea, was the target of a coordinated dual-drone attack. Attribution was not immediately confirmed in Oman's statement. The port of Salalah sits in Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman, geographically adjacent to Yemen — making the Houthis the primary suspect. The Houthis entered the war against Israel hours earlier (firing their first ballistic missile at Beersheba) and have previously attacked Gulf shipping, ports, and infrastructure. However, Iranian drones with extended range capability also cannot be excluded. The attack's significance is amplified by Oman's diplomatic role: Oman has historically served as the primary back-channel for US-Iran communications, including the current Witkoff-led 15-point deal framework negotiations. Striking Oman — even indirectly through proxies — risks poisoning the only active diplomatic channel in the conflict.