Al-Qaeda has called for attacks on American and Israeli aircraft, invoking the September 11, 2001, terror attacks while praising an attempted hijacking of a Dubai-bound flydubai flight. The appeal appeared in the latest edition of al-Bayan, an Arabic-language weekly publication linked to Al-Qaeda supporters, which was launched in July.

The article threatened that "planes carrying Zionists, Americans and all the other infidels fighting against Islam are still hovering in the skies and can be targeted, as happened on September 11th and 30th." It further warned that "America and the Zionists have far more enemies today than before" and suggested that an attacker motivated by disbelief in God might carry out an act to "ultimately benefit Islam." The publication concluded with a statement asserting that "the day will come when the empire of evil America will end."

The call to action was distributed on Al-Qaeda-affiliated Telegram channels on Saturday before reportedly being removed. This development followed a series of social media posts linked to Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot accused of trying to seize control of flydubai Flight FZ1073 shortly before landing in Dubai. The hijacking attempt occurred earlier in the week, and al-Hammami has since been detained.

One social media post attributed to al-Hammami featured cockpit footage displaying nearby Israeli aircraft, alongside images of prominent Al-Qaeda figures, including Ayman al-Zawahiri, who led the group after Osama bin Laden’s death in 2022. The video also showed Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, the orchestrator of a 2009 suicide bombing that killed nine people, including seven CIA personnel. Both Zawahiri and al-Balawi have historical significance within Al-Qaeda.

A second post, reportedly shared on the alleged hijacker’s LinkedIn account, included an AI-generated image showing Islam's three holiest cities—Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem—connected by a glowing trail. These posts surfaced while al-Hammami was already in custody, raising questions about whether they were scheduled in advance or posted by other parties. Both his LinkedIn and Instagram accounts were subsequently deleted.

Authorities and social media platforms have not confirmed who was responsible for sharing these materials, and investigations into the hijacking attempt and associated propaganda continue. The incident has heightened concerns over the potential for further extremist actions targeting civilian aircraft in the region.