Israel’s Transportation Ministry says it relies on airlines to conduct background checks on foreign pilots and does not perform those checks itself. Transport Minister Miri Regev rejected responsibility, saying, “The Transportation Ministry is not an intelligence agency.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a review of all aspects of security for foreign civil flights to Israel.
US Vice President JD Vance said Monday that Washington was reviewing its own procedures and that he had not seen conclusive evidence of an Iranian role. UAE prosecutors say al-Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with the cockpit’s emergency axe and tried to seize the aircraft in an attempted terrorist attack. Passengers and crew subdued him, and additional pilots aboard landed the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight safely in Saudi Arabia. Flydubai’s Tel Aviv service remains suspended until further notice.