Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid as well as a number of Irish and international pro-Palestinian activists said they heard explosions and saw multiple drones target some of their boats.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) departed Barcelona on 31 August, with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza.
There are believed to be 22 Irish people onboard the fleet of boats. Among its high-profile participants is environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
German human rights activist and flotilla member Yasemin Acar said in a video she posted on Instagram that five vessels had been attacked.
Video from Global Sumud Flotilla -they say multiple drones target some of their boats off Crete. @rtenews pic.twitter.com/w1ZFaKmXDr
— Paul Cunningham (@RTENewsPaulC) September 24, 2025
"Multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed and explosions heard from a number of boats," the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement, without adding whether there were any casualties.
"We are witnessing these psychological operations firsthand, right now, but we will not be intimidated," the statement said.
"We are carrying only humanitarian aid. We have no weapons. We pose no threat to anyone. It is Israel who is killing thousands of people (and) starving a whole population," Ms Acar said.
In an earlier video, Ms Acar said the activists had "sighted 15 to 16 drones", adding that their radios had been jammed as loud music could be heard.
One video posted by the flotilla's official Instagram page showed an explosion it said it recorded from the Spectre boat at "01:43 GMT +3".
Read more: Gaza aid flotilla departs Barcelona again after stormy weather
In another video posted by the same page, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said four boats had been "targeted with drones throwing devices" just before another explosion was heard in the background.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy wrote on X: "The #GlobalSumudFlotilla is under attack from Israel in international waters right now. Multiple boats reporting attacks by drones. Contact the government. Demand they send an observer to the flotilla."
The flotilla currently numbers 51 vessels, most of which are situated off the Greek island of Crete.
It had already been targeted in two suspected drone attacks in Tunisia, where its boat had been anchored before resuming its voyage towards Gaza.
Israel said yesterday that it would not allow the boats to reach Gaza, having blocked two earlier attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea in June and July.
Israel has come under huge international pressure over its war in Gaza, which has sparked a dire humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory.
Last month, a body backed by the United Nations officially declared famine in part of Gaza.
And on 16 September, UN investigators accused Israel of committing "genocide" in the besieged territory, nearly two years after the war erupted following Hamas's 7 October 2023, attack on Israel.
