Israeli security officials are actively involved in the interrogation of an Omani co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The incident occurred on Wednesday aboard the flight traveling from Dubai to Israel, carrying 166 passengers.

The suspect, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, reportedly attacked the flight’s captain with a cockpit emergency axe in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft. The interrogation is taking place in the United Arab Emirates, where Israeli security agency Shin Bet is participating alongside Emirati authorities.

Preliminary findings from the investigation indicate that al-Hammami’s stated motive was retaliation for what he described as the "genocide in Gaza." Israeli officials are continuing to analyze his background to determine whether he acted independently, had connections to any organizations, or was directed by external actors such as Iran.

Additional details from the interrogation suggest that al-Hammami had planned to crash the plane into Ben-Gurion Airport. Sources also revealed that he had prepared a secondary target—the U.S. military base in Jordan—which has been subject to multiple attacks attributed to Iran over the past year.

Israeli authorities are yet to confirm the full scope of al-Hammami’s affiliations or whether this was part of a broader plot. The flydubai airline and UAE officials have not released further information about the incident, which has raised security concerns given the regional tensions and ongoing conflicts.