Good morning. Today's briefing covers the unfolding details of an attempted flydubai hijacking linked to a pilot with prior visits to Israel, new revelations about friction between IDF Chief of Staff Halevi and Prime Minister Netanyahu during the judicial overhaul crisis, and a serious terror plot uncovered against a Manchester synagogue. We also look at political manoeuvring ahead of a state inquiry into the October 7th failures, developments in Lebanon, and international reactions to the Gaza war's third anniversary.

Security

An investigation into the attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight has revealed that the pilot accused of trying to crash the aircraft, Hammam al-Maami, had visited Israel in the past and had landed at Ben-Gurion Airport just a week before the incident. Israeli government and security bodies are reportedly disputing responsibility for handling the matter. Separately, Times of Israel reported that the co-pilot, named as Omani national Hamam al Hammami, allegedly attacked the flight's captain with the cockpit's crash axe and had studied at a UK university. In Lebanon, an IDF officer cadet unit operating near the village of Majdal Zoun suffered two casualties, one seriously and one moderately injured, after a grenade was thrown incorrectly during an operational activity; the army is investigating whether the grenade struck an object before detonating near the force. In a separate incident, eight soldiers were lightly injured in an operational road accident in southern Lebanon. In Israel, a large fire broke out at a waste site in Osfiya, with 13 firefighting teams battling through the night to prevent the blaze spreading towards the Carmel forests and nearby neighbourhoods; fire services said there was no danger to residents.

Politics

A report citing N12 claims that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi told Prime Minister Netanyahu that Israel was entering a dangerous situation after the Knesset passed the law eliminating the reasonableness standard, and that Netanyahu rejected a recommendation to dismiss reservists who had stopped reporting for duty in protest. Meanwhile, with the third anniversary of October 7th approaching, political parties are setting out competing visions for how to investigate the failures of that day. Opposition parties have pledged to establish a state commission of inquiry by law on their first day in office, while newer parties propose alternative formulas. Likud and most coalition parties have declined to say how they believe the failure should be examined. Separately, former Palestinian Authority minister Hashem Abu Zaida, who has previously claimed he warned Israel ahead of the October 7th attack, denied allegations that he attempted to influence an election, describing the Hamas assault as "a reckless gamble based on mistaken calculations and assessments."

International

British counter-terrorism police have charged two Iranian nationals, Salam Ahmadyan, 36, and Rahman Salehi, 34, with preparing terrorist acts after an alleged plot to bomb Manchester's Heaton Park Synagogue was uncovered. Both men, who arrived in the UK on small boats in 2020 and 2023, have been remanded in custody. In Brighton, the Green Party conference was thrown into turmoil over a motion declaring "Zionism is racism", with organisers forced to open a safe room for Jewish members amid fears for their safety. Deputy leader Mothin Ali further inflamed tensions by endorsing the motion alongside Friends of Al Aqsa's Ismail Patel at a fringe event, pushing the party towards a major internal split. Separately, Ireland's football coach ended a press conference abruptly after refusing to answer questions from an Israeli journalist about alleged racist abuse directed at Israeli players during a previous match. On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is still awaiting the United States' final position on Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that "only a negotiated solution can end the crisis", following remarks from President Trump on the matter. In Spain, the enclave of Ceuta continues to grapple with a severe migrant crisis after thousands crossed from Morocco, with camps marked by squalor and violence along the coast, in forests and in a cemetery, as public anger grows and far-right groups seize on the unrest. In the United States, a powerful nor'easter battered the north-east, cutting power to more than 73,000 homes and businesses across Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, with 445 flights cancelled and over 3,000 delayed.

Other Developments

Ahead of the third anniversary of October 7th, released hostage Emily Damari shared previously unreleased photographs from her captivity, reflecting on surviving as "a miracle" and recalling being "deep, deep in the Gaza Strip" during Simchat Torah three years ago. In Kiryat Motzkin, Bracha Manor (Menakota), the city's oldest resident at 107, has died; a Holocaust survivor from Poland who immigrated before the establishment of the state, she was remembered by Mayor Tzviki Avisar as embodying "a life story that encapsulates the history of the people and the state".

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