Can Israel survive economic isolation? Why have Spain and Italy sent ships to assist the Gaza Sumud flotilla? Italy and Spain have decided this week to dispatch naval vessels to assist the Global Sumud Flotilla on its way to break Israel's siege of Gaza. The unprecedented move to support a flotilla headed towards the Palestinian enclave comes after repeated attacks against the Sumud Flotilla, including a drone attack early on Wednesday. Israel is widely believed to be behind the attacks.

Can Israel survive economic isolation? The activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla remain alert. Wednesday's drone attack on the vessels - heading towards Gaza to break Israel's siege on the Palestinian enclave - is not expected to be the last. As the flotilla, currently travelling in Greek territorial waters, nears Gaza, a larger Israeli attack is expected. Acar is experienced in spotting drones and assessing security risks, having previous experience trying to reach Gaza on June's Madleen flotilla, which Israel intercepted.

Can Israel survive economic isolation? Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said his country's navy will join Italy in sending warships to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla, which has come under drone attack in international waters en route to deliver aid to Gaza. Speaking to reporters in New York on Wednesday, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Sanchez said international law must be respected and the citizens of 45 nations participating in the aid mission had every right to sail in the Mediterranean unharmed. "Tomorrow we will dispatch a naval vessel from Cartagena with all necessary resources in case it is necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out a rescue operation." On Wednesday night, activists described a wave of attacks by Israeli drones and other aircraft which targeted vessels in the small fleet in what flotilla organisers described as "an alarmingly dangerous escalation".

Italy condemns'drone attack' on Gaza aid flotilla and deploys frigate Italy's defence minister has condemned what he said was an overnight drone attack by unidentified perpetrators on a flotilla trying to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid. Guido Crosetto also said he had ordered an Italian Navy frigate to head towards the 52 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which are mostly off the coast of Crete, to assist Italian citizens on board. The GSF said several boats reported explosions and unidentified objects being dropped, as well as drones overhead and communications jamming. It accused Israel of a dangerous escalation. Israel's government has not commented.

Is recognising Palestine a way to'save face' for Western leaders? Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a Gaza-bound flotilla with pro-Palestinian activists on board carrying aid, reported hearing explosions and seeing multiple drone attacks from their boats situated off Greece from late Tuesday to the early hours of Wednesday. "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." Suited in a life jacket, Brazilian organiser Tiago Avila updated on his Instagram at midnight on Wednesday that a total of 10 attacks targeted multiple boats with sound bombs and explosive flares.

Campaigners say a vessel, part of a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, has been struck in a suspected drone attack. It's the second such suspected attack in two days. Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg is amongst the activists travelling to Gaza with the flotilla to try and break Israel's naval blockade. BBC Verify has been analysing footage of the incident and has spoken to two weapons experts who say a device found on board after the attack appears to be a grenade. 'I witnessed war crimes' in Gaza, former worker at GHF aid site tells BBC A retired US soldier reveals why he quit working at Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid hubs.

Supporters of Global Sumud Flotilla gather to show support in Sidi Bou Said port, Tunisia, on Wednesday. SIDI BOU SAID, Tunisia - The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an international aid initiative to deliver vital supplies to the Gaza Strip, said Wednesday that one of its boats was attacked by a drone at a Tunisian port in the second such strike in two days. The GSF, which is seeking to break Israel's naval blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza using civilian boats, said in a statement that all passengers and crew were unharmed. The GSF reported the first attack on Tuesday, saying one of its vessels had been struck by a drone in Tunisian waters at the Sidi Bou Said port. Tunisian authorities said the reports were false. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.

In 1849 Austria sent unmanned, bomb-filled balloons to attack Venice. UAV innovations started in the early 1900s and originally focused on providing practice targets for training military personnel. UAV development during World War I: the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company invented a pilotless aerial torpedo that would explode at a preset time. The earliest attempt at a powered UAV was A. M. Low's "Aerial Target" in 1916. Nikola Tesla described a fleet of unmanned aerial combat vehicles in 1915.