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Thursday, Oct 1, 2026

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Netanyahu Says Flydubai Co-Pilot Underwent Islamist Radicalization
topics 🌐 Geopolitics🌍 World tags WorldIsraelMiddle EastIran keywords NetanyahuBenjamin NetanyahuSmit Machchhar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain and attempting to crash a Flydubai flight carrying 174 people had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination.” An Israeli official said the suspect’s social media accounts showed jihadist radicalization and contained statements about killing Jews.

The official said Israel would participate in the UAE investigation, while cautioning that the suspect’s intentions could not be established definitively until the inquiry was completed. The UAE attorney general ordered investigators to examine possible terrorist activity, prior planning or direction. Netanyahu said it remained too early to determine whether the co-pilot had connections to Iran.

Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday after passengers and crew subdued the suspect and additional pilots aboard took control. The injured captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, is recovering in good condition, India’s ambassador to the UAE said. Passengers returned to Israel on a replacement aircraft. Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel during the investigation, and Emirates is barring boarding at overseas airports for passengers connecting in Dubai to Flydubai flights to Tel Aviv.

Image via @faytuksnetwork on X
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Earlier version from Wednesday, Sep 30
Trump Threatens to Hit Iran ‘Very Hard’ If It Was Behind Flydubai Attack
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