Flydubai co-pilot says Gaza war motivated plane attack

A Flydubai co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, reportedly told investigators he attacked a plane as revenge for the Gaza war and sought martyrdom, according to Israeli media. The incident occurred on September 30 on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain with an axe and tried to seize control, causing the Boeing 737 Max to rapidly descend from 34,000 to 16,600 feet in 90 seconds. Passengers and crew subdued him, and the plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Investigators are examining if the attack was pre-planned or linked to militant groups, and whether background checks on the Omani national were flawed. No evidence has yet supported US President Donald Trump's claim that Iran was behind the attack.