Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that preliminary investigations into the dramatic mid-air attack aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv indicate the assailant had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination." In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said the evidence gathered so far points strongly toward a premeditated attempt to bring down the aircraft, which was carrying more than 170 passengers and crew when the attack unfolded on Wednesday.
The suspect, identified by Netanyahu as an Omani national, was overpowered by passengers and flight crew after stabbing a pilot and attempting to seize control of the cockpit. The prime minister told Fox News it appeared "very likely" that the attacker intended to crash the plane. "It's clear he was suicidal, that's not a question," Netanyahu said, describing how the subdued attacker called out to the aircrew, saying "kill me, kill me" after being tied up by those on board.
The incident began roughly two hours into Flight FZ1073's journey, after the aircraft had departed Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT. According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the plane suddenly plunged more than 17,000 feet (approximately 5,200 metres) in a descent that lasted less than two minutes. One passenger, Almog Itali, described the experience as feeling like a "rollercoaster" as the aircraft dropped precipitously through the sky.
Minutes after the altitude loss was recorded, the plane transmitted an emergency code. At approximately 05:31 GMT, the aircraft declared a general emergency, followed by a hijacking alert at 05:38 GMT. The flight had briefly entered Jordanian airspace before looping back into Saudi Arabia, where it eventually made a controlled manual descent and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in the northwest of the kingdom at 06:58 GMT.
The co-pilot of the flight is currently being questioned in Saudi Arabia, where the plane made its emergency landing. However, officials from the United Arab Emirates have asserted jurisdiction over the investigation, citing the fact that the aircraft is registered in the UAE and operates under its flag. Meanwhile, the UAE's state news agency has reported that local authorities have launched their own investigation to determine "whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose."
The attacker was arrested in Saudi Arabia following the plane's landing and is expected to be transferred to the UAE, according to Netanyahu. The suspect remains in Saudi custody as authorities in multiple jurisdictions work to establish a complete picture of the events surrounding the attack, the motives behind it, and whether any broader network or organization was involved.
The pilot who was stabbed during the struggle, Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, has been widely praised for his courage. Both Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly described him as a "hero" for his actions during the attack. India's ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, visited Captain Machchhar in hospital on Thursday, with the Indian Mission confirming on social media that the pilot was "in good health and recovering well."
The Indian government has lauded Machchhar for what it described as "immense courage," and his actions have resonated deeply in India, where he is being celebrated for maintaining composure and helping to ensure the safe landing of the aircraft despite being wounded. The incident has also drawn attention to the role of ordinary passengers and crew members who intervened to subdue the attacker, preventing what could have been a far greater tragedy.
A separate Israeli investigation into the incident, led by the intelligence agency Mossad, has produced preliminary findings suggesting that the alleged attacker intended to crash the plane. An Israeli security source told BBC Arabic that investigators interviewed passengers after they arrived in Tel Aviv to establish a detailed account of what had transpired on board. The findings appear to align with Netanyahu's public statements about the attacker's radicalization and intentions.
When asked during the Fox News interview whether there were indications of Iranian involvement in the attack, Netanyahu responded that it was "too early to say," leaving open the possibility that further investigation could reveal additional connections or sponsors behind the assailant. The prime minister emphasized that he was not making final conclusions yet but that the current indications pointed toward a religiously motivated attack.
In the aftermath of the incident, Flydubai has suspended all flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv while it conducts its own internal investigation. Israel's Transportation Ministry stated that the suspension aligns with a directive from Netanyahu. The disruption has left many travellers stranded, prompting Israeli airlines including El Al, Israir, and Arkia to announce plans to operate rescue flights from Dubai starting on Friday to bring back affected passengers.
The Transportation Ministry also revealed that it has sent an urgent request to Etihad Airlines to increase the number of flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, in an effort to address the travel backlog created by the suspension. The attack has raised fresh concerns about aviation security in the region and the potential for extremist elements to target commercial flights, particularly on routes connecting Gulf states with Israel.
The incident has also underscored the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the Middle East, with multiple countries—Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and India—now involved in the investigation and response. The UAE's assertion of jurisdiction over the case, despite the plane landing in Saudi Arabia and the attacker being arrested there, highlights the intricate legal and diplomatic considerations that arise when international aviation incidents occur across multiple jurisdictions.
As investigators continue their work, the focus remains on understanding how the attacker was able to carry out the assault, what radicalization process he underwent, and whether any support network enabled his actions. The findings so far have prompted renewed discussions about security screening procedures for flights in the region and the broader threat posed by radicalized individuals targeting aviation.
For the passengers and crew of Flight FZ1073, the ordeal ended safely, but the psychological impact of the near-disaster is likely to linger. The swift and decisive actions of those on board, particularly Captain Machchhar and the passengers who subdued the attacker, have been credited with preventing a catastrophic outcome. Their bravery stands in stark contrast to the violent intentions of the assailant, whose actions have sparked an international investigation that continues to unfold.
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