Iran-linked network targets Israeli election & the hero pilot who stopped a war

From the UK to Israel, the signs of Iran’s malicious influence across the West are growing. Will the attempted hijack of an Israel-bound flight from Dubai be added to that list? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks with Jerusalem correspondent Henry Bodkin and Israel-based OSINT specialist Tal Hagin about how the flydubai pilot and passengers fought back to prevent a catastrophic attack that could have sparked a fresh war. As Donald Trump calls the alleged attacker a “terrorist or a whackjob”, they discuss three scenarios for who was behind it, debunked conspiracy theories - and the implications for the Middle East. After OSINT company Golden Owl exposed an Iran-linked influence operation targeting Israeli voters ahead of the election, they break down Plus,, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Tehran was likely behind a plot foiled outside the UK’s RAF Fairford airbase, and the US kicks out Iranian negotiators as peace talks stall. HighlightsHow flydubai’s hero pilot and passengers stopped a warIranian covert influence network exposed targeting Israeli election debateCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyHenry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkinTal Hagin, OSINT specialist and director of intelligence network Otus @talhaginWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Iranian negotiators kicked out of US by Rubiohttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/01/iranian-negotiators-kicked-out-of-america-by-rubio/Burnham: Iran played part in suspected RAF terror plothttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/30/andy-burnham-iran-played-part-in-suspected-raf-terror-plot/How the hijacking of a flight to Israel could tear the Gulf aparthttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/01/hijack-terror-plot-gulf-israel-tel-aviv-flight-middle-east/The hero who stopped Israel’s 9/11https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/09/30/pilot-stabbed-suspected-hijack-israel-bound-plane/The Other Face of War: Iranian Regime–Linked Manipulation of Israel’s 2026 Election Debatehttps://goldenowl.ai/resources/research/Iranian-Regime-Linked-Manipulation-of-Israel-2026-Election-Debate#7-operated-from-iran-the-iran-app-ringWinner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.