FlyDubai flight, Trump: "Iran is behind it". Media: "Israel was ready to shoot down the plane"

Israeli sources told CBS News that Israel was ready to shoot down the FlyDubai flight with all passengers on board after the Omani co-pilot assaulted the captain, causing the fighters to take off before recalling them as the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. According to the same sources, as part of a protocol for a potential 9/11-like incident, the Israeli Air Force tried to contact the cockpit after the plane made a sharp dive, but received no response. The fighter jets then took off and Israel closed its airspace, according to reports. However, the warplanes were recalled as soon as Israel realized that the plane was heading towards Saudi Arabia. The same sources added that if the flight had gotten any closer, Israel would have sent planes into Jordanian airspace.

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Culling, a far from remote hypothesis

The Israeli Air Force pilots would then try to get as close as possible to the cockpit in an attempt to establish visual contact and assess the situation, before doing the same to the passenger cabin to ensure there were no signs of panic among the passengers. After carrying out the check, the Israeli Air Force would update the control unit, which, according to the sources, would in turn contact the Defense Minister and the Prime Minister if the plane was hijacked and the terrorists did not respond. Ultimately, the decision to shoot down the plane would rest with the prime minister, an outcome that, according to sources cited by CBS News, would have been preferable to crashing into Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv's Azrieli Center or another "high-value target."

Herzog awards medals for civilian valor to six Israelis on the flight

On Thursday, October 8, President Isaac Herzog will award the Presidential Medal of Civilian Valor to six Israeli citizens who were aboard the FlyDubai flight and responded to the Omani co-pilot's attempt to crash the plane. The medal will be awarded to Or Bardilov, Yaniv Hayon, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tali Manas, Zvika Manas and Assaf Rajouan. The ceremony will be held at the presidential residence in Jerusalem at 3.30 pm.

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Flydubai, the co-pilot: "I did it to avenge Gaza"

FlyDubai co-pilot trained in New Zealand

The FlyDubai co-pilot spent 175 days in New Zealand between 2018 and 2019 on a student visa, completing some of his flight training. This was confirmed by the New Zealand police. Hammam Al Hammami arrived in New Zealand on November 30, 2018, and left the country on May 23, 2019, according to immigration records cited by police. "Police can confirm that the co-pilot was in New Zealand to complete some of his flying training for a UK-based company which no longer operates in the country," said Michael Johnson, the deputy commissioner of New Zealand Police.

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Flydubai, media: co-pilot wanted to crash plane on Tel Aviv airport