Summary:

Over the night of 8/9 September 2025, a fire broke out on a boat attached the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was bound for Gaza but docked temporarily at the Sidi Bou Said port in Tunis. Videos circulating widely on social media showed what appeared to be an incendiary device falling from above onto the boat, followed by a small explosion and fire. No injuries or deaths were reported.

Tunisian authorities reported that the fire was not caused by a drone strike as rumors of an Israeli drone attack circulated widely on social media.

Outlook: 

While clear explanations for the incident have yet to be established, the fire and perceptions of Israeli involvement will likely fuel anti-western and anti-Israeli sentiment in Tunisia and elsewhere.

The likelihood of follow-on protests and other expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people will increase in the coming days.

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