Today's briefing covers the continuing fallout from the attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, with Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledging a security breach and President Trump suggesting possible Iranian links to the Omani pilot. Meanwhile, the IDF reports it now controls 63 percent of Gaza territory, exceeding the ceasefire agreement's terms, and an incident in the West Bank has prompted an internal military inquiry. Internationally, counter-terrorism arrests in the UK and continuing Iran-US tensions over Hormuz dominate the headlines.

Security

The attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv by an Omani pilot continues to generate scrutiny. Prime Minister Netanyahu admitted to Fox News that a security 'loophole' had allowed the pilot, whom he described as having undergone 'extreme Islamist brainwashing', to be scheduled for the flight despite restrictions that should have applied. President Trump said he had heard the pilot had links to Iran, a claim Israeli investigators say could be confirmed within days. Israel Hayom reported that preliminary intelligence suggests the pilot had been influenced by extremist preachers calling for martyrdom operations, with investigators examining whether he was recruited in advance and whether the plane was intended to be crashed into a strategic target. It has also emerged that Shin Bet chief David Zini had warned months earlier of inadequate security arrangements on flights from the UAE, though flydubai itself does not fall under the agency's direct oversight, raising questions about where the oversight chain failed. Watchdogs have identified conspiracy theories circulating online within an hour of the incident, falsely suggesting the hijacking was staged by Netanyahu and the Mossad. Nearly 80,000 dollars has been raised via GoFundMe for the injured flydubai captain, Smit Machchhar. Separately, the IDF said its forces now control 63 percent of Gaza, roughly 10 percent more territory than stipulated under the ceasefire agreement, with around 40 outposts established. The commander of the Gaza Division said this represents a significant advantage in preventing Hamas from rebuilding its capabilities. The IDF also stated that 170 individuals killed in Gaza who had been described as journalists were in fact Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives, saying their terrorist affiliations were verified using documents released by the organisations themselves and materials recovered during operations. In the West Bank, the IDF said it was investigating footage showing a soldier confronting and filming a Palestinian teenager whose brother had been injured during clashes between settlers and Bedouin residents in Binyamin, with the military distancing itself from the soldier's conduct.

Politics

Israel Hayom published commentary arguing that Israel faces an 'eighth front' in the form of delegitimisation campaigns, boycotts and sanctions, describing this as a strategic weapon used against the country's right to self-defence. The piece called for Israel to establish a dedicated state body to wage this 'soft war' rather than responding piecemeal to individual public relations crises.

International

British counter-terrorism police arrested a 27-year-old UK-Iranian man in Westminster in connection with a suspected terror plot targeting RAF Fairford. In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was still awaiting the United States' final position, conveyed through mediators, on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, insisting any resolution depended on US compliance with Iranian conditions and could only come through negotiation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned of potential 'harsh' Russian attacks, pledging a swift and clear response reminiscent of Leipzig, while criticising the AfD party and its 'Russian supporters' and calling for unity in supporting Ukraine. Moscow, which had earlier warned of nuclear options should NATO isolate Kaliningrad, accused European leaders of 'hysterical statements'. In the UK, the Green Party has launched what it called 'unprecedented' security measures at its Brighton conference to protect Jewish members from potential hostility. Hackney Council's updated risk register has flagged 'major' legal concerns over a manifesto pledge to divest pension funds from companies linked to Israel. An independent MP, Ayoub Khan, faced criticism for a 'toxic conspiratorial' social media post regarding the flydubai incident and declined calls to apologise. Separately, a new documentary drawing on footage recorded by ordinary Iranians has offered a fresh account of last January's unrest and crackdown in Iran. Elsewhere, Kanye West's planned concerts in St Petersburg have been cancelled following criticism over his past antisemitic remarks.

Other Developments

Forecasters say Israel can expect mild, partly cloudy conditions on Sunday with temperatures close to seasonal norms, followed by a slight rise and scattered rain in the north on Monday. Temperatures are expected to drop again by Tuesday and Wednesday, falling below seasonal averages, with rain expected to return to the south. In Netanya, a police officer was moderately injured overnight after a driver who failed to stop for a police check collided with a patrol car; the driver sustained minor injuries and was arrested. In the Lower Galilee town of Shibli, a 21-year-old man was seriously injured in an overnight violent incident and taken to Emek Medical Centre.

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