Lapid Disputes Netanyahu's Security Briefing Claims After Flydubai Incident

Opposition leader Yair Lapid has directly addressed the content of a classified security briefing he received from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, refuting claims that it included warnings relevant to an incident on a Flydubai flight. Lapid stated that "nothing resembling the airplane incident this morning appeared in the security update" he received from Netanyahu the previous evening.

The exchange follows Prime Minister Netanyahu's warning that Israeli enemies might attempt attacks around the upcoming elections. According to the Prime Minister's office, Netanyahu presented Lapid with detailed alerts about potential attacks on various fronts during their meeting. After the briefing, Lapid had urged the public to remain calm, stating that the IDF, Shin Bet, and police were prepared for the elections and there was "no reason to panic the public." He also criticized Netanyahu, saying, "Israel's security and IDF bases are not a backdrop for election videos."

However, the situation escalated when Yonatan Urich, a senior official in the Prime Minister's office, suggested a connection between Netanyahu's warnings and an alleged attempted hijacking of the Flydubai plane en route to Israel. In response, Lapid publicly revealed a specific detail from the confidential briefing, emphasizing that no scenario similar to the Flydubai incident was mentioned, not even implicitly.

Lapid further accused Netanyahu's associates of "cheap politics at the expense of Israel's security," calling them an "irresponsible group." This public disclosure by Lapid is notable, as he had previously committed to not breaching the confidentiality of the security update. Meanwhile, the IDF announced that the Chief of Staff held a situation assessment with senior military officials following the developing events.