Israel prepared a possible shoot-down response after the captain of a FlyDubai flight was attacked, but recalled its fighter jets when the aircraft turned toward Saudi Arabia, two Israeli sources told CBS News. The report describes a contingency, not an order to fire or an actual shoot-down.
Why Israel scrambled and recalled its jets
CBS News said the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight plunged 14,000 feet as Israel’s Air Force tried to contact the cockpit without receiving an answer. Two Israeli sources with direct knowledge told the outlet that a command center was established, fighter jets were scrambled and Israeli airspace was closed.
The sources said the jets were recalled after the aircraft turned toward Saudi Arabia, about 400 miles from Israel. Saudi jets were also scrambled, according to CBS News.
The reported shoot-down protocol
The sources told CBS News that if the flight had come within a certain distance, Israeli jets would have entered Jordanian airspace to inspect the cockpit and cabin. If officials determined the aircraft had been hijacked and the suspected hijackers remained silent and made no demands, a committee would have brought the defense minister and prime minister into the decision process.
The reported protocol called for a rogue flight approaching Israel to be shot down, but only the prime minister could have made that decision. The sources said officials considered a shoot-down preferable to a plane hitting a high-value target. CBS News did not report that an order was issued.
The alleged attack and investigation
Accounts from the plane cited by CBS News say the captain fought off the co-pilot long enough to unlock the cockpit. Israeli passengers and FlyDubai staff then subdued the co-pilot, and two off-duty pilots took control before an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
An Israeli official told CBS News that the co-pilot said during interrogation in the United Arab Emirates that he had planned the attack before joining FlyDubai and intended to crash at Ben Gurion Airport. Separately, sources familiar with the investigation described a possible lone-wolf attack as an early assessment. They said the investigation remained ongoing and all avenues were still being explored.
Source: CBS News.
