According to CBS News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directly authorized military operations against two Global Sumud Flatilla ships, the international humanitarian convoy, which transported aid and pro-Palestinian activists to Gaza.
According to the report by CBS News published on Saturday October 4, 2025, US officials indicated that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given his direct approval for military operations targeting two ships from the “Global Sumud Flatilla” last September.
Drone strikes from an Israeli submarine
The strikes took place on September 8 and 9, 2025, via drones launched from an Israeli submarine, targeting ships stationed near the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Saïd. Incendiary devices have caused fires on two boats:
- The “Family”, beating Portuguese pavilion, with the Portuguese deputy Mariana Mortágua on board the day before;
- The “Alma”, beating British pavilion, damaged on its upper deck.
In both cases, no victim was reported, and the crews were able to quickly control the fires.
Diplomatic reactions and climbing
The Global Sumud Flotilla has denounced these attacks as actions endangering civilians and humanitarian volunteers, calling for independent surveys and the responsibility of the authors.
The Tunisian authorities, however, disputed, initially the version of the drones, suggesting that an internal explosion could be the cause of fire. The images broadcast by the flotilla, however, show flames falling on the boat, without proof of internal fire or poorly used rocket.
Then, the Ministry of the Interior changed a radically changed position and qualified the incident as “premeditated”, announcing the opening of an investigation to identify the officials. This turnaround, after first declarations minimizing the case, suggests that the stake goes beyond a simple port incident.
After these incidents, the Israeli navy intercepted most of the convoy ships, arresting several activists, including Greta Thunberg, European parliamentarians and 25 Tunisian nationals. The latter are now tried before a special court at the Negev, with an expulsion scheduled via Jordan.
The flotilla was aimed at breaking the Israeli maritime blockade on Gaza, providing humanitarian aid and international visibility to the Palestinian cause. According to CBS News, the Israeli attack on civilian ships, if confirmed, constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the use of incendiary devices against populations or civilian goods.
