Overnight interrogation leaks identified the Flydubai co-pilot as Humam al-Hamami, an Omani of Syrian origin previously grounded in Oman over extremist materials, who told investigators he meant to crash Flight 1703 inside Israel. The UAE prosecutor then formally defined the axe attack on the Indian captain as an attempted terrorist act.
Attention turned to how he was allowed to fly. Reports said Israel had received the crew list in advance, prompting mutual blame-shifting between the Transport Ministry and security agencies, which acknowledged no vetting of foreign pilots for such a scenario. The captain told Netanyahu the co-pilot asked to pray before striking him, forcing a fight for the cockpit door.
Separately, the IDF struck in Gaza City targeting Ali al-Amoudi, described as Sinwar’s successor, with the outcome still unclear and Gaza reporting civilian deaths.