Israel wakes to continuing fallout from the dramatic FlyDubai hijacking attempt, with President Herzog honouring the Israelis who helped subdue the attacker and Prime Minister Netanyahu linking the incident to a wider Iranian terror threat against Britain. Meanwhile, tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified overnight, and a new sanctions bill targeting Israeli officials is set for a Congressional vote.

Security

The investigation into Wednesday's attempted hijacking of FlyDubai flight FZ1073 continues, after the pilot was stabbed by a colleague in the cockpit and the plane plunged from 33,000 to 17,000 feet before passengers and crew subdued the attacker. President Herzog spoke with four Israelis involved in the response – Yaniv Hayoun, Dr Shota Musayev, Tzvika Mans and Asaf Rejwan – and said he would recommend them for the Medal of Civilian Heroism, also thanking the Indian pilot who helped avert disaster. The Shin Bet has sent officials to Dubai to coordinate return flights for stranded Israeli passengers, with the Transportation Ministry expected to issue a formal announcement shortly. Questions remain over what exactly happened in the cockpit, the suspect's motives, and which countries will lead the investigation. Separately, the IDF issued a detailed rebuttal to claims made in a controversial documentary film, denying that artificial intelligence selects military targets and insisting that operational decisions are made by human commanders, while accusing the filmmakers of factual errors and manipulative editing. In domestic incidents, a 21-year-old man was seriously injured in a violent altercation in Shibli in the Lower Galilee, and a police officer was moderately hurt in Netanya after a driver who refused to stop for a check rammed a patrol car.

Politics

A political row has erupted over the FlyDubai incident after opposition leader Yair Lapid said the security briefing he received from Netanyahu's office made no mention of a hijacking scenario, claiming the threat referenced was a different, long-known risk abroad. Lapid accused the Prime Minister's office of exploiting the incident for political gain. Netanyahu, in an interview with CNN, said there had been no specific advance warning of the hijacking attempt. Separately, he disclosed that Israel had warned Britain of a related Iranian terror plot prior to an incident at an RAF airbase, and praised Hayoun's actions in preventing what he called 'another 9/11'. In Washington, Democratic members of Congress are preparing to bring a bill – the 'Stop Settlements Act' – to a vote, which would impose sanctions, including asset freezes and US entry bans, on officials involved in settlement activity in the West Bank. Although the bill's chances of passing are considered slim, Democrats are reportedly positioning for the next Congress and future Israeli elections.

International

Tensions between the United States and Iran flared after Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly ordered Iran's UN General Assembly delegation, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to leave the country following stalled negotiations. Araghchi said overnight that Tehran was still awaiting a final US position on Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that 'only a negotiated agreement can resolve the crisis' and that any reopening depended on Iran's conditions being met. The exchange followed remarks from President Trump on the state of talks. In the UK, tributes poured in for campaigner Esther Rantzen, who died this week aged 86, with Jewish charities praising her remarkable legacy.

Other Developments

New figures released for Breast Cancer Awareness Month show a 39% year-on-year rise in British Jews seeking support from the Chai Cancer Care charity. Separately, records show that only six doctors have faced sanctions out of 169 antisemitism complaints submitted to the UK's General Medical Council, with many complaints reportedly passed to employers rather than formally investigated. In sport and community news, reaction continues to footballer Wayne Rooney's Jewish heritage coming to light, a revelation Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper's family say he would have deeply cherished. Clocks in Israel will go back one hour on 25 October, marking the end of daylight saving time.

Technology

A Jerusalem Post report details a continuing pattern of automated hacking attempts worldwide, including an incident where an AI system attempted to breach a Canadian government website. Security researchers said the tactics were consistent with prior activity attributed to OpenAI-linked agents, though attribution remains unconfirmed.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel