Drone attack or cigarette fire: Flotilla bound for Gaza reports strike off Tunisia; authorities deny claims

Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla said one of their aid boats was struck by a suspected drone late Monday off the coast of Tunisia — a claim Tunisian authorities quickly disputed.

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said its “Family Boat,” anchored near the port of Sidi Bou Said, was hit by what they believe was a UAV, sparking a fire on board. Security camera footage shared by the group captured a humming sound, a flash of light, and frantic cries for help. No one was injured in the incident.


“This was 100 per cent a drone that dropped a bomb,” one activist said in a video posted by Brazilian campaigner Thiago Avila.


But Tunisian officials dismissed the claim. National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli told AFP that “no drones have been detected” and said preliminary findings suggested the blaze broke out in the life jackets. Authorities later floated the possibility that the fire may have been caused by a cigarette.

The competing accounts fueled confusion, with UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese amplifying the flotilla’s footage on X and urging viewers to “draw your conclusions.”

The flotilla, made up of more than 20 boats and carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists including Greta Thunberg, set sail from Barcelona in late August with the stated goal of breaking Israel’s blockade on Gaza. Israel has already intercepted two such missions this year.

The Global Sumud Flotilla insists the alleged strike was an act of intimidation. “Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination and resolve,” the group said.

The United Nations has declared famine in parts of Gaza, warning that nearly 500,000 people face “catastrophic” conditions.

Meanwhile, Israel has repeatedly warned it would intercept the flotilla and detain activists in what local media described as “terrorist-level” conditions.