Suspected drone attack hits Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in Tunis

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
9 Sep 2025 06:38
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A Portuguese-flagged vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla was struck while docked in Tunisia. Organizers blame an Israeli drone strike.

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A screengrab from CCTV footage shows the moment a suspected incendiary device exploded on the Global Sumud Flotilla's leading vessel, in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, on September 9, 2025. (Social media)

The Global Sumud Flotilla announced it will hold a press conference today to update the media and the public on the drone attack sustained by one of its boats, the Family Boat. While all participants are safe, details about the attack remain limited, it said.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA TO HOLD
PRESS CONFERENCE ON DRONE ATTACK

Tunis, Tunisia – The Global Sumud Flotilla will hold a press conference today to update
media and the public on the drone attack sustained by one of its boats, the Fam… https://t.co/VwElOOAnSq
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@gbsumudflotilla) September 9, 2025

The conference will include remarks from Francesca Albanese, members of the steering committee, and civil society leaders, as well as direct testimonies from those who were aboard the Family Boat during the attack, in addition to updates on the flotilla's ongoing mission to break "Israel's" illegal blockade of Gaza.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest civilian effort to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza, suffered an alleged attack when one of its leading vessels was struck while anchored in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia.

According to Wael Nawar, a member of the flotilla, the attack was carried out by an Israeli drone and targeted the fleet’s largest ship, which sails under the Portuguese flag. He confirmed that all crew and passengers aboard the vessel were unharmed.

Egyptian committee: Cowardly escalation

The Egyptian committee of the flotilla condemned the incident as “a criminal aggression by a Zionist war drone and a cowardly escalation.” It described the strike on Tunisian territory as a military violation against an Arab state, reaffirming that Egyptian participation in the international fleet would continue despite the threats.

UN expert raises alarm

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese confirmed reports that the flotilla’s main vessel was hit and said she is working to verify the facts. She further warned that two additional boats en route to Tunisia are “in urgent need of protection.”'

Breaking news;

Here is the security camera footage from the Family vessel of the Sumud Flotilla, stationing just outside Tunis port. So:
1. Sound of something that the crew identified as a drone.
2. Crews sounds the alarm and calls for help.
3. Explosion.
Draw your conclusions. pic.twitter.com/HmkFG7yaEt
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) September 8, 2025

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that strict security measures were imposed at the port following the attack, adding that the ship was apparently hit with an incendiary device.

Tunisian authorities cite technical malfunction

In contrast, the spokesperson for Tunisia’s National Guard denied that local security or military units had detected any aerial activity over the port. Preliminary investigations, he noted, suggest the incident may have resulted from an internal malfunction aboard the vessel rather than an external strike.

The Tunisian Interior Ministry later released a statement saying that "reports circulating about a drone crashing onto a ship docked at Sidi Bou Said port are baseless."

Earlier in May, a drone strike targeted a vessel of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla team in international waters off the coast of Malta, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition reported. Israeli authorities were widely condemned by activists for executing the attack; however, Tel Aviv never claimed responsibility.

In that earlier incident, Yasemin Acar, press officer for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, confirmed to CNN that armed drones hit the ship twice, targeting the front of the vessel and causing a substantial breach in the hull. A fire erupted on board, and the ship began to sink. “There is a hole in the vessel right now, and the ship is sinking,” Acar said.

Largest flotilla yet to break the siege

The Global Sumud Flotilla includes hundreds of international activists from 44 countries, among them Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Portuguese politician Mariana Mortágua. The mission, comprised of dozens of aid-laden boats, seeks to break "Israel’s" years-long naval blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian supplies and asserting international solidarity.

Despite the attack and mounting threats, organizers insist the mission will proceed, describing it as a historic show of defiance against the ongoing siege.