Israel Prepared to Shoot Down Flydubai Flight After Cockpit Axe Attack

Israel was prepared to shoot down a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight carrying over 150 Israelis after an Omani pilot attacked the Indian captain with a crash axe in the cockpit last week, according to two Israeli sources. The sources said Israel has a long-practiced procedure for potential 9/11-style events and was ready to act after Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed. The incident prompted a difficult decision for Israeli authorities given the large number of Israeli passengers aboard. The attack occurred on the flight last week, and the situation was resolved without the plane being shot down. The report did not specify how the incident ended or the current status of the pilots involved.