Israel Orders Fresh Security Assessment Of International Flights After FlyDubai Incident

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a comprehensive security review of international flights arriving in Israel after an Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain and attempted to take control of a Flydubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv. Netanyahu instructed National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra to appoint an examiner to conduct a thorough review of “all security aspects” of foreign civil aviation to Israel, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. The move comes after the September 30 incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The flight was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar during the journey. According to investigators and accounts reported after the incident, the captain was injured but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and overpower the co-pilot. Two off-duty pilots on board subsequently helped take control of the aircraft, which landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The flight was carrying more than 170 people, most of them Israeli passengers. The incident has since prompted investigations in several countries.

The UAE prosecutor general has described the incident as a terrorist attack, while investigations into the co-pilot’s background and possible motive remain ongoing. Reuters reported that the suspect, identified by sources as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, is in UAE custody after being transferred from Saudi Arabia. Australian authorities are also examining his links to Australia after sources said he had studied in Melbourne. Israeli authorities have said they are investigating whether the incident was part of a wider plot, while the precise circumstances and motive remain subject to investigation.

Also Read: UAE Silent on Flydubai Co-Pilot's Identity as Probe Continues

The incident has triggered questions in Israel over how foreign airline pilots are vetted before operating flights to the country. Israeli media have reported that the UAE had provided Israel with passenger and crew information, including the names and nationalities of the pilots, before the flight. At the same time, Israel’s Transportation Ministry has said it does not conduct intelligence background checks on foreign pilots operating international flights, raising questions about which agencies are responsible for identifying potential security threats among foreign flight crews.

The security review ordered by Netanyahu is intended to examine the procedures surrounding foreign civil aviation and the circumstances that preceded the Flydubai incident. Israel had already announced plans to strengthen security checks on pilots flying into the country following the attack. Reuters reported shortly after the incident that Israeli authorities planned to identify pilots operating flights to Israel and carry out additional security checks regardless of whether the airline was Israeli or foreign. Aviation experts have noted that responsibility for pilot vetting generally rests with airlines and the relevant national aviation authorities, under international aviation standards.

The review comes as authorities continue to investigate how the co-pilot was able to operate the flight and whether earlier information could have prevented the incident. Israeli officials and critics have raised questions about the security arrangements for foreign carriers, while responsibility for different aspects of aviation screening has become a subject of public debate. Netanyahu’s office said the examiner would conduct a thorough review of security surrounding foreign civil aviation to Israel. The outcome could lead to further scrutiny of pilot screening, information-sharing and security procedures for international flights arriving at Israeli airports.

Also Read: Iran Alleges Netanyahu, UAE President Staged Flydubai Incident