 The Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June) was being fought in Libya during Operation Julius and beginning on 14 June, the British defeat forced the Eighth Army to withdraw eastwards, losing landing grounds from which aircraft could provide air cover for MW11.Operation Julius was a British defeat, only two merchant ships from Operation Harpoon, the simultaneous convoy from Gibraltar, reaching Malta to deliver supplies.In the absence of air cover and the suppression of Axis air power lining the routes to Malta, the central Mediterranean had been closed to British ships.