Flydubai co-pilot with alleged radicalization tried to crash flight to Tel Aviv

The Flydubai co-pilot who authorities say nearly crashed a flight bound for Tel Aviv with 182 people on board was banned from flying in his home country of Oman due to suspicions he had adopted extremist ideas, a person familiar with the case said Saturday.

The co-pilot was later hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline, according to this person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to address an investigation that remains open. It was not immediately clear to what extent his background was investigated when he was hired at the Emirates. Oman's decision to ban him from flying was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The attack has plunged the region's travel industry into crisis, raised questions about aviation security and increased unrest in a Middle East already shaken by the war between the United States and Iran. There is a regional investigation underway.

The United Arab Emirates has canceled all flights to Israel, which has complicated the movement of hundreds of passengers who regularly travel between both countries. Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to conduct repatriation flights, which began Friday, to transport passengers who had been stranded in the Emirates after commercial connections between the two countries were suspended, according to an Israeli official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The first repatriation flight left the Emirates shortly before 11:00 p.m. and landed in Tel Aviv shortly after 1:00 a.m., according to the Ben Gurion International Airport website.

The airport had flights from Arkia and Israir from Dubai scheduled for early Saturday. El Al was expected to ferry passengers from Dubai to Israel on Sunday.

Dubai has become a popular destination for Israelis since Israel and the United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations in 2020, within the framework of the Abraham Accords promoted by the Trump Administration to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab countries.

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, told reporters that the first information he had received pointed to possible links between the attack and Tehran, although he did not offer further details. Trump also stated that if it is determined that Iranian agents were behind the attack, the United States will "hit them very hard."

Israeli investigators are involved in the probe, but the Emiratis are leading the probe, according to an official who was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said it is unclear whether the attacker was part of a group, adding that there is currently no evidence of a link to Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the co-pilot had experienced "Islamist radicalization," but has provided no evidence to support that claim.

"We are now investigating whether he was sent [to carry out the attack], and whoever sent him will pay a very high price," Netanyahu declared in a video message released on Friday.