Israel was prepared to shoot down a Flydubai passenger plane carrying more than 150 Israelis if it continued toward the country after the captain was attacked in the cockpit, according to two Israeli sources with direct knowledge of the incident who spoke to CBS News.
According to the sources, Israel has a longstanding protocol for responding to a passenger aircraft suspected of being hijacked and potentially being used in a large-scale attack. After the aircraft suddenly lost approximately 14,000 feet of altitude, the Israeli Air Force attempted to establish contact with the cockpit but received no response. A pre-established command committee was activated. A command center was established as fighter jets were scrambled and Israeli airspace was closed.
The Israeli fighters were later recalled after authorities determined that the aircraft had turned toward Saudi Arabia, roughly 400 miles from Israel. Saudi Arabia subsequently scrambled its own fighter jets.
The Israeli sources said that had Flight 1073 continued toward Israel and entered a predetermined range, Israeli fighter jets would have been prepared to enter Jordanian airspace to investigate.
The pilots would have approached the aircraft as closely as possible to visually inspect the cockpit and attempt to establish contact with the pilot. They would then have inspected the passenger cabin to assess the situation on board. If they observed signs of panic or other indications of a hijacking, they would have relayed their findings to the Air Force and the pre-established committee.
If the aircraft were determined to have been hijacked, remained unresponsive by radio, and made no demands, the committee would have connected Defense Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to the sources.
Under the protocol, the prime minister would have the authority to order the aircraft shot down if it were determined to pose an imminent threat to a major target in Israel.
The sources said such an order could be considered if authorities believed the aircraft was being deliberately flown toward a populated area or strategic target, such as the Azrieli Towers or Ben Gurion Airport. The rationale would be to prevent a potential mass-casualty attack on the ground.
An Israeli official also told CBS News that the co-pilot allegedly admitted during questioning in the United Arab Emirates that he had planned the attack before being hired by Flydubai.
The suspect was identified by sources familiar with the investigation as Omani national Hamam al Hamami. According to the Israeli official, he intended to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport and had previously traveled to Israel.
The early Israeli investigation indicates that the attempted hijacking was likely a lone-wolf attack, according to sources familiar with the case. However, the investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are continuing to examine all possible lines of inquiry.