 After Pedestal, submarines returned to Malta and Supermarine Spitfires flown from the aircraft-carrier enabled a maximum effort to be made against Axis ships.Italian convoys had to be routed further away from the island, lengthening the journey and increasing the time during which air and naval attacks could be mounted.The Siege of Malta was broken by the Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November) and Operation Torch (8–16 November) in the western Mediterranean, which enabled land-based aircraft to escort merchant ships to the island.