Aid Fleet to Gaza Returns to Port Amid Red Sea Tanker Attack
A fleet of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has temporarily returned to port due to unsafe weather conditions, organizers stated, as a separate incident saw Houthi forces in Yemen claim duty for launching a ballistic missile at an Israeli oil tanker in the Red Sea. The Global Resilience Fleet, which departed Barcelona, Spain on Sunday, paused its journey without specifying a return date to the Spanish city. The fleet aimed to break the Israeli marine siege on Gaza adn deliver food and other supplies to the besieged Strip.
The pause comes as tensions escalate in the region,highlighted by the Houthi attack on the SCARLET RAY oil tanker north of the Red Sea. While Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari claimed a direct hit, a marine security agency, the UKMTO (UK Trade Operations Maritime), reported only an explosion near the ship and confirmed the crew was unharmed and continued sailing. The tanker is owned by an Israeli company and sails under the Liberian flag,according to British marine security firm Ambry.
Approximately 250 tons of aid had been collected in Genoa, Italy, with some supplies already dispatched on ships launched Sunday. Remaining aid is being transferred to Catania, Sicily, for further shipment to Gaza on September 4, according to organizers. Additional vessels were expected to join the fleet from Greece, Italy, and Tunisia. The initiative seeks to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where access to essential supplies remains severely restricted.
