JERUSALEM/TUNIS/TEHRAN - Israel said on Monday it had intercepted a vessel carrying 12 activists attempting to breach its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and escorted it to the port of Ashdod.

The boat, Madleen, reached Ashdod, the largest port in Israel, after being seized by Israeli forces in international waters early Monday, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. The activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and Brazilian human rights advocate Thiago Avila, are undergoing medical examinations and will be deported, the ministry said.

"The yacht docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago," the ministry wrote on the social media platform X, adding that the passengers were in good health. Photos released by the ministry showed Thunberg and Avila appearing fatigued but uninjured.

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Adalah, an Israel-based legal rights organization representing the activists, said contact with the group was lost shortly after the vessel was intercepted around 3 am local time. "Since then, contact with the activists was lost," it said in a statement.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the mission, accused Israel of acting unlawfully, saying the boat was "kidnapped" in international waters. The group said passengers were subjected to psychological pressure, including the use of a white irritant spray, communication jamming, and disruptive noise transmissions via radio.

The vessel was reportedly carrying humanitarian cargo, including food and medical supplies, intended for Gaza.

Monday's incident comes roughly a month after another flotilla vessel, Conscience, was damaged in an alleged drone strike in international waters near Malta.

Israel imposed a naval blockade on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas took control of the enclave. The restrictions were further tightened following Hamas's deadly cross-border assault into southern Israel in October 2023.

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The war, now in its 21st month, has devastated Gaza's infrastructure and pushed its 2.3 million residents into a deep humanitarian crisis. UN agencies warn of impending famine, with the entire population facing acute food insecurity.

Tunisian-led aid convoy heads to Gaza

A humanitarian convoy named Soumoud, meaning "steadfastness" in Arabic, departed from the Tunisian capital Tunis on Monday, with a goal to challenge the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, according to the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP).

Organized by the Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia, the land convoy brings together approximately 1,500 Tunisians and 200 Algerians, united in a call for global solidarity with the Palestinian people.

"This is primarily a land-based convoy, mobilizing all available resources to transport stockpiled humanitarian aid to Rafah," said Jaouaher Chamma, a member of the organizing committee.

Algerian, Mauritania, Moroccan and Libyan activists were also among the group, Chamma noted.

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The convoy is expected to pass through several Tunisian regions before entering Libya, where it will continue its journey in coordination with local NGOs. From there, it will head to the Saloum border crossing in eastern Libya and on into Egyptian territory, with the goal of reaching the Rafah crossing into Gaza.

"This initiative aimed to send a message to all free people of the world to stand against occupation and genocide," TAP quoted convoy spokesperson Wael Naouar as saying.

"Breaking the blockade is not just about delivering aid," Naouar said. "It's also about evacuating the wounded so they can receive medical treatment outside the occupied territories."

Iran says to target Israeli nuclear sites 'if attacked'

Iran's top security body warned on Monday that its armed forces would immediately target Israel's "secret nuclear facilities" if the Islamic Republic comes under military attack, following claims it has obtained "sensitive Israeli intelligence".

The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued the statement days after Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib said Iran had acquired a "significant cache" of Israeli documents through intelligence operations.

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According to the council, months of intelligence gathering had enabled Iran's armed forces to identify high-value Israeli targets for potential retaliatory strikes, should Israel initiate military action against Iranian interests.

"This forms part of a broader strategic initiative aimed at countering disinformation by hostile actors and reinforcing Iran's deterrent capabilities," the SNSC said.

Tehran's access to Israeli intelligence would allow it to swiftly target "concealed nuclear sites" in the event of an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, the council said, adding that the information also supports proportionate retaliation against attacks on Iran's economic or military assets.

Israel is believed by many to possess nuclear weapons, though it has never officially confirmed or denied this, maintaining a longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity.