Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday that Israel would impose a heavy price on those behind the attack, demanding accountability for the plot that rattled the region.
The Israeli National Security Council is now scrutinizing whether Hamam al‑Hammami acted solo or received backing from an external organization, a question that could reshape regional security dynamics.
During interrogation, al‑Hammami told officials he intended to crash the aircraft into a building or another plane at Ben Gurion Airport, confirming the ambassador’s claim of premeditated terror.
Ambassador Yossi Abraham Shelley accused Iran of financing terror groups and hinted the plot might have Iranian links, citing a thwarted Iranian missile strike on Tel‑Aviv earlier this year.
Captain Smit Machchhar diverted the flight to a nearby airfield after the co‑pilot brandished a knife, averting a potential disaster and saving dozens of passengers.
Investigators will file a report within 30 days; Israel will coordinate with UAE authorities on extradition and counter‑terrorism measures, a move that may prompt diplomatic fallout.