Qatar’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that a commercial cargo vessel traveling from Abu Dhabi was targeted by a drone while sailing in the country’s territorial waters northeast of Mesaieed Port on Sunday morning.
According to Qatari authorities, the incident triggered a limited fire onboard the vessel.
No injuries were reported among the crew members, the ministry said in a statement posted on X.
The fire was later brought under control, allowing the ship to continue its journey toward Mesaieed Port.
“The necessary measures were taken, and coordination was carried out with the relevant authorities,” the ministry said.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions and increasing security concerns across Gulf shipping routes linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Regional authorities continue to monitor maritime activity in strategic waterways as fears grow over possible attacks involving drones and other aerial threats targeting commercial vessels.
Mesaieed Port is considered one of Qatar’s major industrial and commercial shipping hubs.
As of posting time, authorities have not publicly identified those responsible for the drone attack.
