At about 20 miles from Malta, and without a hitch, the destroyer Diana released its cargo of men and machines. Eight E-boats came to life and the attack launched

The captain of the Diana, however, did not know that the British had became aware of the destroyer's presence and quickly mobilized for the pending attack. When the Italian frogmen came close to shore, they were met with all kinds of fire from the English forces which also shut down Italian war planes in support of the frogmen.

The losses in Italy's own backyard were enormous: 15 frogmen killed, 18 taken prisoners, 1 motorboat sunk and 1 captured, 9 E-boats sunk, 2 human-torpedoes sunk along their transport boats, and 3 Macchi fighter planes shot down. On the other hand, total British losses were: 1 aircraft.