Investigation Underway After Mid-Air Stabbing and Hijacking Alert on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv

Israel and the United Arab Emirates normalized diplomatic relations in 2020. This agreement enabled regular air travel between the two nations. The route operated without major security incidents until September 30, 2026. Israel faced frequent aviation security threats from militants during the 1960s and 1970s.

These incidents became rare in the decades following 1980. The September 30, 2026, event occurred near the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the Gaza war. In 2025, a flight landed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a medical emergency. This landing marked a rare instance of cooperation between the two nations despite their lack of formal diplomatic ties.

Authorities are treating the September 30, 2026, incident as a significant security breach. Investigations now span multiple jurisdictions. The Israeli government is currently investigating the incident as a potential terror attack following reports that the co-pilot sabotaged the aircraft systems.

Passengers Tali and Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, and Asaf Rajuan assist the crew in subduing the attacker. Following a safe landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, the pilot was hospitalized in stable condition. The Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed that both pilots were later transported to Abu Dhabi with Emirati officials for further interrogation.

1. Capt. Smit Machchhar prevented a crash by opening the cockpit door after he was stabbed. Passengers and crew entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker. The attacker had allegedly attempted to disable the aircraft controls.

2. Israeli President Isaac Herzog identified five passengers for their role in subduing an attacker. The group included Tali Manes, Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, and Asaf Rajuan. These passengers entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker.

3. The flight crew broadcast a general emergency code, known as squawk 7700. They followed this with a hijacking code, squawk 7500. These alerts notified ground control of the situation. The aircraft descended 17,000 feet in two minutes. The crew landed the plane safely.

4. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coordinated their response to the incident. The Saudi Interior Ministry announced on October 1, 2026, that Emirati security officials moved the pilot and the attacker to Abu Dhabi. Authorities continue the investigation in that city.

1. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid questioned the lack of intelligence regarding the threat. He noted that security briefings provided to the opposition contained no information about potential attacks on flights. This silence raises questions about the quality of current security assessments.

2. A source briefed on the matter confirmed that Israel received no specific warning about a threat to Israelis on an airplane. This source provided no further details regarding the intelligence.

3. Yair Lapid questioned the link between the incident and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s earlier warnings regarding election-period attacks. Lapid also stated that the limited information provided to the opposition during security briefings requires further examination.

4. Flydubai suspended all flights to and from Israel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. The airline cited an ongoing investigation as the reason for the decision.