British Airways flight 165 from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv turned around while on final approach on Wednesday, as Hamas launched a rocket attack at the city. The carrier had been operating a single daytime flight, allowing crew to immediately return to London, however has now decided to suspend operations to Israel.
Passengers on the flight took a 9 hour 47 minute flight to nowhere, and options to fly into the country are increasingly limited.
According to Israel’s airports authority, the rockets weren’t an immediate danger to the flight. However air raid sirens were going off in the city, and BA decided not to land after descending to 9,000 feet. The situation at the airport did get chaotic today.
Hamas fires multiple rockets towards the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Hamas’ Al-Qassam has taken responsibility for this attack.
Aircraft operations suspended
In response to the first US and British planes arrival providing military equipment to Israel. pic.twitter.com/m4SMvZ0s06
— Geeta Mohan گیتا موہن गीता मोहन (@Geeta_Mohan) October 11, 2023
Things appear likely to get worse before they get better. Hamas leader Khalid Mashal is asking Muslims around the world to fight Jews and to martyr themselves on Friday. Friday could be a worse day.
Khalid Mashal the leader and founding member of Hamas gave a speech today asking Muslims all around the world to do the following:⁰⁰1. To show anger, especially next Friday, in Muslim countries and Also among Muslim diaspora around the world; he called it “the Friday of Al-Aqsa… pic.twitter.com/koJ42DRFMy
— Brother Rachid الأخ رشيد (@BrotherRasheed) October 11, 2023
Meanwhile, Senator Tommy Tuberville – who has been holding up military promotions over Pentagon abortion policy – took something of a karmic tumble. With the U.S. inching closer to war in the Mideast, while supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, and not wanting to look stretched so as to invite Chinese adventurism in the Taiwan Straits now may not be a great time to undercut morale.
Tommy Tumbleville pic.twitter.com/aMc5hrWxKb
— Brett Meiselas (@BMeiselas) October 11, 2023
There’s no good outcomes here, only bad ones. Israel needs to deter further aggression, but its actions may help Hamas bring in greater support from Hezbollah and Iran, which could draw the U.S. into the conflict. And if Israel ‘wins’ does it try to govern Gaza? What rises in place of Hamas? They still, of course, hold hostages following their brutal massacre of civilians.
Too bad guwonder was not on that flight, perhaps he is ready to be a martyr for his friends
Forget Gaza, attack the source. Iran.
9000 feet is not “final approach”. This would normally be 30-40 miles out.
Funny how that this happened not that long after our dear POTUS gave Iran millions of dollars in Exchange for hostages. That money was to be earmarked for humanitarian only purposes by Iran!
Loved the video of Tumbleville’s dramatic arrival!
I thought Miami Air had liquidated?
To anyone planning to martyr themselves tomorrow:
Can I have your miles beforehand?
Weird, plane had a full tank?
Usually for weight and safety you only use enough to arrive safely plus a safety, not enough to go back.
So they already had a plan to go back if needed.