Flydubai Co-pilot Allegedly Aimed to Attack Israeli Airport

WHO:

NBC News - Hamam al-Hammami is a citizen of Oman.

CNN - Hamam al-Hammami, the co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073.

CNN - Smit Machchhar, the captain of the flight.

CBS News - The attorney general of the UAE, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi.

WHAT:

NBC News - The co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, had planned a 9/11-style attack by crashing into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport or another building.

NBC News - The passenger jet carrying 174 mostly Israeli passengers plunged 14,000 feet in just 29 seconds during the incident.

NBC News - Captain Smit Machchhar described the initial attack as a strong blow to the head, which blurred his vision and led him to believe there was catastrophic damage to the aircraft.

NBC News - Machchhar stated, “I gave everything that I had, and just went for the door and opened the door. And thankfully, people were waiting to pounce back,” referring to the moment he managed to open the cockpit door.

NBC News - Al-Hammami had previously been banned from flying by Oman due to concerns about adopting radical ideological views.

CBS News - The co-pilot had planned the attack for months and should not have been cleared to fly to Israel.

CBS News - Israel was prepared for fighter jets to shoot down the FlyDubai flight if necessary.

CBS News - The co-pilot planned to crash the jet into an Israeli airport, specifically targeting a tower located just three blocks from Israel’s military headquarters, the Kirya.

CNN - Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attempted to hijack the Flydubai flight.

CNN - The attempted hijacking was described as a “terrorist act” by the UAE attorney general.

CBS News - The co-pilot planned the attack for months.

CNN - Passengers and the captain restrained al-Hammami and wrested control of the airplane.

WHERE:

CBS News - The targeted tower is located in Tel Aviv, Israel.

CNN - The flight was from Dubai to Tel Aviv, specifically targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

CNN - The incident occurred over Saudi airspace.

WHY:

NBC News - Focus has shifted to missed security signals ahead of the flight, raising questions about how al-Hammami was allowed to fly the plane.

CNN - There are still questions about the suspect’s intentions regarding the attack on the captain if his goal was to target an airport in Israel.

CNN - The suspect's intentions remain unclear, with questions about why he attacked the captain if his goal was to target an airport in Israel.

CNN - There is currently no known link between al-Hammami and any terrorist organization.

HOW:

NBC News - Israeli law requires airlines to provide information about passengers and crew members, including names and nationalities, up to 48 hours before a flight.

NBC News - The co-pilot stabbed the flight’s captain during the attempted hijacking.

CBS News - Israel was prepared to implement a long-practiced protocol to shoot down the FlyDubai plane if necessary after the attack on the captain occurred.

CNN - Al-Hammami attempted to seize control of the plane by attacking the captain with a crash ax, a piece of equipment required on most aircraft.

CNN - The investigation into the attempted hijacking is being led by the United Arab Emirates.

(UPDATED October 6, 2026 13:09 UTC)

A co-pilot named Hamam al-Hammami had planned a 9/11-style attack, aiming to crash a passenger jet into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, but during the incident, the aircraft, carrying 174 mostly Israeli passengers, plunged 14,000 feet in just 29 seconds. Captain Smit Machchhar described the initial attack as a strong blow to the head that blurred his vision, but he managed to open the cockpit door, stating, “I gave everything that I had, and just went for the door and opened the door. And thankfully, people were waiting to pounce back.” This incident has raised serious concerns about missed security signals, especially since al-Hammami had previously been banned from flying by Oman due to radical ideological views, and Israeli law requires airlines to provide passenger and crew information up to 48 hours before a flight.

(UPDATED October 6, 2026 01:28 UTC)

In a shocking incident, the co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight attempted to hijack the aircraft by stabbing the captain, raising serious concerns about his intentions and whether he aimed to target an airport in Israel. Authorities had been aware of the threat, with Israel preparing fighter jets to potentially shoot down the flight if the situation escalated. Hamam al-Hammami, a citizen of Oman, has been identified as the suspect, who had been planning the attack for months and should not have been cleared to fly.

(UPDATED October 5, 2026 18:01 UTC)

A co-pilot reportedly planned to crash a FlyDubai jet into a tower in Tel Aviv, Israel, which is just three blocks from the military headquarters known as the Kirya. In response to the attack on the captain, Israel was ready to activate a long-standing protocol to shoot down the plane if needed. This incident highlights the serious security measures in place to protect critical locations in the region.

(UPDATED October 5, 2026 17:04 UTC)

In a shocking incident, co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attempted to hijack Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was en route from Dubai to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, leading the UAE attorney general to label the act as terrorism. Al-Hammami, who reportedly planned the attack for months, tried to seize control of the aircraft by attacking the captain, Smit Machchhar, with a crash ax, but was ultimately restrained by the captain and passengers. The investigation into this serious incident is currently being led by the United Arab Emirates, as authorities seek to understand the suspect's motives and any potential links to terrorist organizations.