Updated

On September 30, 2026, a Flydubai flight (FZ1073) from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying some 180 passengers, mostly Israelis, was diverted to Saudi Arabia after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft. Passengers, including an Israeli plumber and several other Israelis, overpowered the attacker and helped stabilize the plane with guidance from the surviving Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, who was hailed as a hero. Netanyahu called it an apparent act of terror, said investigators in Saudi Arabia were questioning the suspect, and that it was too early to establish responsibility, while Trump labeled the co-pilot a 'terrorist or a whack-job' after speaking with Netanyahu. The episode triggered wide fallout: Israel ordered expanded pilot security screening, Flydubai suspended its Israel route before resuming it, and Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Sa'ar spoke with UAE counterparts to coordinate a response, framing the incident as an attack on the Abraham Accords. The attack also became a flashpoint in Israel's upcoming election, with government allies citing it as vindication of security warnings and opponents drawing comparisons to October 7 failures.