Bomb Hoaxes Ground 25 European Flights; Bizarre Anti-Feminist Emails Claim Responsibility

At least 25 flights across Europe were grounded or diverted on Thursday following a series of bomb hoaxes, according to reports. The threats, which included bizarre emails claiming to be from an anti-feminist group called the 'Fighters of the Male State,' vowed to 'turn the skies red' with deadly mid-air explosions. The group reportedly targeted flights to Italy, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of the world's most powerful female leaders, heads a government often described as a 'feminist regime' by its critics.

An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a French military base in Evreux after interception due to a suspected bomb threat, a French Air and Space Force spokesperson told AFP. The flight landed safely, and the airline said it is working to reaccommodate the 151 passengers and six crew members. A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome also received a threat but landed safely in the Italian capital. Many of the affected flights were escorted by military fighter jets as a precaution.

The hoaxes caused significant disruption across European air travel, with flights from Ireland to Bulgaria among those affected. No explosives were found on any of the aircraft, and authorities are investigating the origin of the threats. The emails, which claimed the group wanted to 'make its mark on history,' were sent to at least two of the flights, according to the BBC.

Although no country has officially taken responsibility, many European officials have accused Russia of orchestrating sabotage and 'hybrid attacks' against nations supporting Ukraine in the ongoing war. The incidents are part of a broader pattern of destabilization efforts that have targeted European infrastructure and transportation networks in recent months.

The bizarre nature of the threats, combining anti-feminist rhetoric with bomb hoaxes, has raised concerns about the evolving tactics of hybrid warfare. Security experts note that such psychological operations are designed to sow panic and undermine public confidence in transportation safety. European authorities have heightened security measures at airports and are cooperating across borders to identify those behind the threats.

The disruption comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and Western nations, with several countries increasing vigilance against potential sabotage. While the threats did not result in any injuries, they caused delays and cancellations that affected thousands of passengers. The incident underscores the vulnerability of civilian aviation to asymmetric threats and the challenges of responding to hoaxes that strain security resources.