Australia Condemns ‘False Flag’ Conspiracies Amidst Heavy Melbourne Rains

Australia is confronting two major stories at once: antisemitic Australia false flag conspiracies about the attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv have been widely condemned, even as Melbourne endures its heaviest rainfall since April 2024. Two Australian citizens who were on board the diverted flight are safe, the Israeli embassy has confirmed, while the city has recorded nearly 50mm of rain in a single day — with more on the way.

Key facts: Australia false flag conspiracies and Melbourne floods

• Flydubai flight FZ1073, Dubai to Tel Aviv, Wednesday 30 September: the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane; the jet plunged more than 14,000 feet in under a minute.
• The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after passengers and a reserve crew subdued the attacker; all 170+ people on board survived.
• The Combat Antisemitism Movement documented 2,963 “false flag” conspiracy posts on X within 12 hours — the first appeared just 67 minutes after the emergency signal.
• Israel’s embassy in Australia confirmed that two Australians — a Jewish couple from Sydney — were on board and are safe.
• Melbourne (Olympic Park) recorded 47.8mm of rain since 9am Thursday — the city’s heaviest daily total since April 2024; the SES fielded 200+ calls, including six water rescues.
• The Bureau of Meteorology warns of “much more” rain across Victoria on Friday and Saturday.

“False flag” conspiracy theories condemned

Within hours of Wednesday’s emergency, antisemitic conspiracy theories flooded social media claiming the incident was a “false flag” operation staged by Israel itself. Researchers at the Combat Antisemitism Movement documented 2,963 posts on X in a 12-hour monitoring window attributing the incident to Israel, the Mossad, Benjamin Netanyahu or Jews — the first recorded just 67 minutes after the aircraft transmitted its first distress signal.

CyberWell, which monitors online antisemitism, also condemned the theories, describing them as misinformation that “recasts victims as perpetrators” and spreads hatred toward Jews. Separately, Iran’s Fars news agency alleged — without evidence — that Israel was planning false-flag aviation attacks to blame Tehran; no independently verifiable evidence has emerged of any Israeli role, and Netanyahu has instead pointed to the co-pilot’s own radicalization.

What happened aboard flight FZ1073

Flydubai flight FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning when the co-pilot — identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national — allegedly stabbed the captain, identified in reports as Indian national Smit Machchhar, and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. The jet transmitted emergency codes 7700 and then 7500, plunging over Saudi Arabia in under a minute; Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as a hijacking was briefly feared.

The wounded captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers — including Yaniv Hayoun, who later described grabbing the attacker in a chokehold — and a reserve flight crew on board to overpower the co-pilot. The aircraft, carrying more than 170 people, landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were hospitalized.

Netanyahu said in a Fox News interview on Thursday that the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and appeared suicidal, calling it “very likely that he was going to down the plane”. Israeli security officials said their initial assessment was that he acted alone. Saudi, Emirati and Israeli investigators are now examining the motive, with Flydubai suspending flights to and from Israel during the inquiry.

Two Australians on board safe

The Israeli embassy in Australia confirmed to The Guardian that two Australian citizens — a Jewish couple from Sydney — were among the passengers and are safe. The embassy, rather than the foreign ministry, was the source of the confirmation.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, said the incident reminded him of the September 11 attacks and confirmed that heightened security alerts had been issued. He described the attack as “an attempt to hit at the peace itself, at the Abraham Accords” — the 2020 agreements that normalized UAE–Israel relations — arguing that “those that hate Israel also hate the peace”.

Melbourne drenched by heaviest rain since April 2024

Meanwhile, Melbourne has endured one of its wettest October days in years. Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist David Crock said the 47.8mm recorded at Melbourne (Olympic Park) since 9am Thursday was the city’s highest daily total since April 2024, after up to 25mm fell within a single hour on Thursday afternoon — plunging parts of the city into darkness around 3pm.

The State Emergency Service fielded more than 200 calls for help, including six water rescues, with 71 calls for building damage, 50 for flooding and 44 for fallen trees as flash flooding stranded drivers and sent water racing under bridges.

Crock warned there is “much more to come”: significant rain will continue across Victoria on Friday and Saturday, with a flood watch current for catchments across central and eastern Victoria. Conditions are expected to ease from the west on Sunday as the low-pressure system moves offshore.

Conclusion

The two stories capture Australia under twin pressures: a disinformation wave racing ahead of investigators after a shocking aviation attack, and wild weather bearing down on its second-largest city. Both continue to develop — the investigation into the co-pilot’s motives is in its early stages, and Victoria’s flood watch remains in force through the weekend.

This story is also published on our main site: Australia Condemns ‘False Flag’ Conspiracies Amidst Heavy Melbourne Rains. For more international coverage, see the World section.

Frequently asked questions

What happened on the flydubai flight to Tel Aviv?

On Wednesday 30 September, the Omani co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the aircraft. The jet plunged more than 14,000 feet before passengers and a reserve crew subdued him; it landed safely at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 170+ people aboard surviving.

What are the “false flag” conspiracy theories?

They are online claims that Israel staged the attack itself to blame others. Antisemitism researchers at the Combat Antisemitism Movement documented 2,963 such posts on X within 12 hours of the incident and condemned them as antisemitic conspiracy theories; no evidence supports an Israeli role.

Were any Australians on board the flight?

Yes. Israel’s embassy in Australia confirmed that two Australian citizens — a Jewish couple from Sydney — were among the passengers and are safe.

How much rain did Melbourne receive?

Melbourne (Olympic Park) recorded 47.8mm since 9am Thursday, the city’s highest daily total since April 2024, after up to 25mm fell within a single hour. The SES received more than 200 calls, including six water rescues.

Is more rain expected in Victoria?

Yes. The Bureau of Meteorology says significant rain will continue across Victoria on Friday and Saturday, with a flood watch for catchments across central and eastern Victoria, easing from the west on Sunday.