Military experts believe it was a calculated attack to send a warning; No replies from Israeli embassy

Herman Grech, Matthew Bonanno, Times of Malta, May 5, 2025

Images and clips of a blast aboard a Gaza-bound humanitarian vessel off Malta indicate it was caused by loitering munition, according to military experts.

Loitering munitions, also known as ‘suicide drones’ or ‘loitering missiles’, are a category of weapon systems designed to loiter over an area of interest for a period of time before striking a target.

Two independent military and maritime security sources who spoke to Times of Malta said photographic evidence of the damage on board the vessel Conscience indicates it was an attack on the vessel and not an accident. 

“From the images I’ve inspected, it appears that the damage is coming from the outside inwards. This looks like a strategic military attack intended to disable the vessel and not kill those on board. In other words, it’s a warning not to proceed with the voyage,” one source with many years of military and maritime experience said, on condition of anonymity. 

The Conscience suffered damage to its front section, including a loss of power when hit by two drones just outside Maltese territorial waters, the NGO Freedom Flotilla Coalition said on Friday.

Coalition officials first demanded that the unflagged vessel be towed to Malta for repairs before continuing its mission. Prime Minister Robert Abela said Malta would bar entry to the vessel but was willing to foot the cost of the repairs at Hurd’s Bank, off Malta.

Eventually, the NGO said it would welcome a surveyor on board.

The Conscience had been waiting to take on board some 30 peace activists from around the world before trying to sail to Gaza, including renowned activists Greta Thunberg.

Though nobody has assumed responsibility for the attack, many observers said it had the hallmarks of an Israeli strike. 

A military expert explained that modern weapon systems are nowadays so sophisticated that some missiles carry no explosives at all, but are intended to inflict damage.

The expert said the images shared by the NGO so far clearly show evidence of a strike, possibly caused by an Orbiter 1K.

Developed by Israel’s Aeronautics Ltd, the Orbiter 1K is a compact, electric-powered loitering munition designed for precision strikes with minimal collateral damage. Other potential Israeli-made loitering munitions could be the IAI Harop, IAI Harpy and Elbit Skystriker. 

“It would be interesting to see if any debris from the system that hit them still exists,” the expert said.

Call sign: ‘Michael’

The munition flies over a designated area for an extended period of time, looking for a target. It can autonomously identify targets or be manually controlled by an operator. Once a target is identified, the munition can engage it, often making a precision strike.

Some loitering munitions can track a target for many hours before engaging, ensuring accuracy. These munitions are typically designed to self-destruct on impact, making them ‘one-way’ systems.

Photo: Gaza Freedom Flotilla

“It could have been launched by a military plane or even any container ship. This kind of drone is intended to punch a hole and cause a fire. In reality, it would take a lot of explosives to down a ship.”

The expert did not discount the possibility that the drones could have been launched by an Israeli Hercules C130, which flew in airspace controlled by Maltahours before the incident.

“While the Hercules could have been carrying the weapons, it might not have been the case. It was probably closely monitoring the movements and exact location of the Conscience. Do you honestly think a C130 would fly from Israel to Malta for the heck of it?”

Capt Reuben Lanfranco, the second maritime security consultant, said that, judging from the available footage, the damage to the front of the vessel was consistent with an external strike. 

“Water intake shows a possible breach in the hull, and this could have been caused by blast wave after the drone hit,” he said. 

The expert said that since there were no photos of the generators or engines available, he could not ascertain why the vessel is adrift and not making way on its own power, assuming its propulsion systems were still intact.  

Meanwhile, Trevor Ball, a former US Army senior explosive ordnance disposal team member, told US network CNN that the photos were consistent with two small blast munitions being used.

Another source who spoke to Times of Malta said the call sign from the Hercules was ‘Michael’, a biblical sign used during a military operation referencing the Archangel Michael, considered a chief prince and protector of Israel.

Repeated attempts to contact Israel’s diplomatic mission to Malta were unsuccessful over the weekend and Monday. Questions were also sent to Israel’s Defence Forces but there was no reply. 

Models of a SkyStriker (L) and Skylark 3 (R) fully autonomous UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) drones are pictured at the Elbit systems display stand in 2022. Photo: AFP

Herman Grech, Editor-in-chief

Matthew Bonanno, Journalist