Kesselring flew to Sicily himself on 12 July to survey the situation and decided that no more than a delaying action was possible and that the island would eventually have to be evacuated.
Kesselring fløj selv til Sicilien den 12. juli for at vurdere situationen og besluttede, at det kun var muligt at gennemføre en forhalingskamp, og at øen til sidst måtte evakueres.