The day's news was dominated by the dramatic story of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, where passengers thwarted an attempted hijacking by an Omani co-pilot who stabbed the captain mid-flight. Elsewhere, Iran featured in separate developments in the UK and over the Strait of Hormuz, while hostage families pressed Israeli politicians on rehabilitation commitments.

Security

A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was rocked by a mid-air attack when an Omani co-pilot stabbed the captain, Samit Machchhar, an Indian national with over 10,000 flying hours. The aircraft plunged from 33,000 to 17,000 feet before passengers, including several Israelis, stormed the cockpit and subdued the attacker, tying him with headphone cables. Passenger Yaniv Chiyon described grabbing the controls after the assailant tried to destroy instruments, while another passenger, a dentist, treated the wounded pilot mid-flight, saying 'we thought we were going to die.' A British pilot among the passengers also assisted in the rescue. The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia before all 174 survivors were flown back to Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted them at Ben Gurion Airport, embracing one passenger still wearing a blood-stained shirt and confirming the co-pilot had carried out the stabbing. It later emerged that four pilots had been aboard the flight due to potential rerouting concerns extending duty hours. The Shin Bet and Mossad approved the crew for the rescue flight, and Israeli security services granted temporary approval for Israeli airlines to resume flights to the UAE following Netanyahu's phone call with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. Transport Minister Miri Regev has demanded flydubai services be suspended pending a full investigation into the security failure. Separately, UK official Andy Burnham said there were 'strong indications' of Iranian involvement in a suspicious incident near a US-used airbase, an accusation Iran's embassy categorically rejected. Meanwhile, the IDF Home Front Command's Haifa District said it was 'readier than ever' for potential escalation involving Iran and the Houthis, citing lessons learned from recent multi-front drills.

International

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said only a negotiated agreement could resolve the crisis over the Strait of Hormuz, stating Tehran was still awaiting Washington's final position on its proposal to reopen the strait, which he said depends on US fulfilment of Iranian conditions. The comments followed remarks from President Donald Trump on the matter.

Politics

Ahead of coalition talks among change bloc parties on their platform, an organisation representing hostages and their families demanded that rehabilitation of returned hostages be enshrined as a core commitment. In a letter to the negotiating team, the group said affected families 'still do not receive the support needed for their recovery,' setting out specific requests for the upcoming session.

Health

New figures released to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month show a 39% year-on-year rise in British Jews seeking support from the charity Chai, highlighting growing demand for cancer support services within the community.

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