DOMINANT ANGLE
Israel cuts to the chase: for its security services and press, the aggression in the cockpit of the flydubai flight is an attempted attack on 166 Israelis, foiled by passengers.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Flight FZ1073 issued code 7700 then 7500 and lost around 4,000 meters of altitude; 166 of the 174 passengers were Israeli (Jerusalem Post)
- 02
Netanyahu claims the attacker was arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities, and describes Commander Smit Machchhar as a "true hero"
- 03
flydubai suspended its flights to Tel Aviv after a recommendation from the Shin Bet; the Emirates allow Shin Bet inspections in Dubai
ANALYSIS
Tel-Aviv, October 1, 2026. The flydubai FZ1073 Dubai-Tel-Aviv flight landed on Wednesday, September 30, in Tabouk, Saudi Arabia, after a pilot stabbed a colleague in the cockpit. For the Israeli press, the incident is first and foremost an attempted attack: according to the Jerusalem Post, the assessment that prevails in the security apparatus, including Tsahal, Mossad, and Shin Bet, is that of a "terrorist act" aimed at crashing the plane to the ground.
The flight data paints the scene. Haaretz reports a drop from 34,000 to 16,000 feet in less than two minutes, a general distress code, then a hijacking code, a detour through Jordan before turning back. The air force scrambled fighter jets. Of the 174 passengers, 166 were Israeli, making the episode a national event: the Jerusalem Post compares it to the hijackings of the 1970s, with Entebbe at the top.
The passengers' account takes up a large space. Israeli passengers seated at the front rushed towards the cockpit; one of them told the newspaper that he had to "shake" two relief pilots to take control. These two pilots were there, according to a source close to the file, because a diversion could have exceeded authorized service hours, without any link to an alert. Dentist Shota Musayev treated Captain Smit Machchhar, who allegedly unlocked the door before collapsing. Benyamin Netanyahu praises him as a "true hero" who "saved the lives of 174 people"; Knesset President Amir Ohana praises his "extraordinary courage".
The security aspect remains open. An Israeli source quoted by Haaretz identifies the attacker as being of Omani origin, a country with no diplomatic relations with Israel. Passengers initially refused to board the non-Israeli rescue plane; Mossad and Shin Bet validated its crew. According to the Jerusalem Post, Riyadh refused to allow the Israeli air force to pick up the passengers. Netanyahu claims that the attacker is being questioned by Saudi authorities.
On the aviation front, the Shin Bet recommended suspending links with the Emirates; flydubai suspended its flights to Tel-Aviv and calls to avoid "premature speculation". Netanyahu spoke with Mohamed bin Zayed to "arrange security issues", and Abu Dhabi authorizes Shin Bet inspections in Dubai.
SOURCES (3)
- Jerusalem PostMEDIUM
- Arutz ShevaMEDIUM
- Haaretz EnglishMEDIUM
