The short version
- The Omani co-pilot allegedly told investigators he intended to crash the Boeing 737 MAX into Ben Gurion Airport or a Tel Aviv skyscraper after attacking the captain.
- Security failures are under scrutiny, including how the suspect was hired despite prior bans by Oman Air and Israeli regulations barring pilots from non-diplomatic nations.
- Israeli officials have ordered a comprehensive review of foreign civil aviation security, while Australian authorities examine the suspect’s past ties to the country.
Investigations into the midair attack on a Flydubai flight have revealed that the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv, according to reports from US and Israeli officials. The Omani national, identified in multiple accounts as Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly told investigators that his plan involved striking Ben Gurion International Airport or a high-rise building in central Tel Aviv. This objective mirrors the tactics used during the September 11 attacks in the United States, suggesting a deliberate attempt to replicate that level of devastation. The revelation shifts the narrative from a simple hijacking attempt to a premeditated terrorist act with catastrophic potential.
The incident occurred on flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to UAE Attorney-General Hamad al-Shamsi, the co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist act by attacking Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency crash axe stored in the cockpit. The captain was wounded during the struggle, but passengers and another crew member managed to overpower the attacker. A second crew member then safely landed the plane in Saudi Arabia. A replacement aircraft was subsequently dispatched to transport the stranded passengers from Saudi Arabia to their final destination in Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the event as a prevented disaster, stating that the actions of the captain, passengers, and crew stopped a catastrophe akin to 9/11. Netanyahu also indicated that the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. However, US and Israeli reports characterize the suspect as a lone wolf extremist rather than an operative acting on behalf of a specific radical organization or foreign government. The co-pilot reportedly admitted to investigators that he had considered hijacking a previous flight to Tel Aviv but abandoned the plan because he recognized someone on board.
The details of the attack have prompted intense scrutiny of security protocols across multiple jurisdictions. Regional officials noted that the co-pilot had previously been barred from flying by Oman Air and reassigned to an administrative role due to concerns about his extremist views. Despite this history, he was hired by Flydubai after passing standard security checks that did not include screening for radicalization. This gap in vetting procedures has raised serious questions about how the airline recruited him and granted him clearance to operate flights carrying Israeli passengers.
Further complicating the security landscape are Israeli aviation regulations that prohibit pilots from countries without formal diplomatic relations with Israel, such as Oman, from operating flights to the country. The presence of an Omani pilot on a flight to Tel Aviv suggests a significant oversight in regulatory compliance or enforcement. Israeli authorities have acknowledged these lapses, with Transport Minister Miri Regev stating that her ministry did not receive passenger and crew lists for the flight. She argued that security oversight for foreign airlines falls under the jurisdiction of the Shin Bet domestic security agency and the Mossad foreign intelligence service.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Netanyahu has directed the head of the National Security Council to review all security aspects related to foreign civil aviation entering Israel. This directive aims to address the systemic failures that allowed a known extremist with a history of radicalization to access a cockpit on a commercial flight. The Shin Bet had previously stated that the transport ministry was responsible for vetting lists from foreign airlines, creating a jurisdictional ambiguity that may have contributed to the security breach.
International cooperation is also expanding as Australian authorities investigate the co-pilot’s links to Australia. Local media reports indicate that he studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017. This connection adds another layer to the investigation, potentially revealing how his radicalization progressed while abroad. UAE Attorney-General al-Shamsi emphasized that investigations would continue to establish the full circumstances, motives, and any external links related to the incident, with results to be announced upon conclusion.
The aftermath of the attack has left a lasting impact on aviation security discourse. The successful prevention of the crash highlights the critical role of passenger intervention and crew resilience in modern aviation safety. However, the underlying failures in background checks and regulatory enforcement remain unresolved. As investigations proceed, stakeholders are focused on closing these gaps to prevent similar incidents in the future. The case underscores the need for more rigorous screening processes and better coordination between international security agencies.
Sources behind this briefing
