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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that early investigative findings point to the man who assaulted a fellow pilot and attempted to seize control of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv passenger jet having undergone what he described as "Islamist radical indoctrination." In comments made during an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu characterized the suspect as an Omani national and suggested it was looking "very likely" that the attacker's intention was to bring the aircraft down entirely.
The incident unfolded aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which had departed Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT carrying more than 170 people bound for Ben Gurion Airport. Roughly two hours into the journey, the aircraft abruptly lost more than 17,000 feet in altitude — a plunge recorded by the flight-tracking service Flightradar24 — before a struggle between the attacker, passengers, and crew members ended with the assailant being overpowered and the plane landed safely.
According to Netanyahu's account, once the attacker had been subdued and restrained by those on board, he began calling out to the aircrew, pleading with them to kill him. The Israeli leader said this behavior made it evident the man was suicidal, adding that when combined with the radicalization indicators allegedly found in his background, the evidence provides a significant indication of motive. Netanyahu was careful to note, however, that he was not yet drawing final conclusions.
The prime minister was also pressed during the same interview on whether Iran might have played a role in the attack. He responded that it was "too early to say," declining to attribute any state-level involvement at this stage of the investigation.
In a parallel development, the United Arab Emirates' state news agency reported that authorities there have launched their own investigation to determine whether the incident was connected to any terrorist activity or purpose. The UAE maintains that it holds jurisdiction over the matter, citing the fact that the aircraft is registered in the Emirates and operates under its flag. This position sets up a potential legal and diplomatic question, as the co-pilot is currently being questioned in Saudi Arabia, where the plane made its emergency landing.
The attacker was arrested in Saudi Arabia following the plane's diversion to Tabuk Airport in the northwest of the country. According to Netanyahu, arrangements are expected to see the suspect transferred into UAE custody. Meanwhile, an Israeli security source told BBC Arabic that a separate Israeli investigation — led by the Mossad intelligence agency — had interviewed passengers after their arrival in Tel Aviv. Preliminary findings from that inquiry suggest the alleged attacker intended to crash the aircraft, though these conclusions remain provisional.
The sequence of events has been reconstructed through flight data and official accounts. About two hours after departure, the aircraft entered a steep descent, and minutes later it transmitted an emergency code. At approximately 05:40, the plane — which had briefly entered Jordanian airspace — turned back into Saudi Arabia, where it began a controlled manual descent and eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport at 06:58. Before the diversion, the aircraft had declared a general emergency and then a hijacking alert, according to tracking records.
The pilot who was stabbed during the struggle has been widely praised for his role in preventing a catastrophe. Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was described as a "hero" by both Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India's ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, visited Captain Machchhar in hospital on Thursday. The Indian Mission later confirmed on social media that the pilot was "in good health and recovering well," a detail that has brought some relief amid the harrowing accounts emerging from the flight.
Passengers aboard the aircraft have described terrifying moments as the plane went into its sudden dive. One passenger, Almog Itali, likened the experience to a "rollercoaster" as Flight FZ1073 dropped 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. The combination of the rapid altitude loss and the ensuing physical confrontation has raised serious questions about in-flight security protocols on international routes, particularly those connecting Gulf states with Israel.
In the aftermath, Flydubai has suspended its flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv while it conducts its own internal investigation into the incident. Israel's Transportation Ministry stated that the suspension was consistent with a directive issued by Netanyahu. The ministry also confirmed it had sent an urgent request to Etihad Airlines to boost the number of flights operating between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, likely to accommodate passengers affected by the route suspension. In addition, Israeli carriers El Al, Israir, and Arkia announced plans to operate rescue flights from Dubai beginning Friday to repatriate travelers left stranded by the grounding of the Flydubai service.
The episode has also spotlighted the broader geopolitical sensitivities surrounding aviation in the region, where routes frequently overfly multiple jurisdictions and where security coordination between states can be complex. The involvement of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, Jordan, India, and potentially Oman — through the suspect's nationality — illustrates how a single midair incident can quickly draw in a web of international actors. The decision by UAE authorities to assert jurisdiction, alongside questions being asked in Saudi Arabia and a separate Israeli intelligence inquiry, means multiple parallel investigations are now underway, each with its own legal framework and diplomatic considerations.
For now, officials in multiple capitals have urged caution against premature conclusions. Netanyahu's remarks, while pointed, included caveats that final determinations have not been made. The UAE's investigation will focus specifically on whether the attack meets the legal threshold of terrorist activity, a designation that carries significant implications for prosecution and international cooperation. As the suspect remains in Saudi custody awaiting transfer, and as Captain Machchhar continues his recovery, the full picture of what happened aboard Flight FZ1073 — and why — is still being assembled by investigators across three countries.
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