Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked by Omani co‑pilot, prompting Israeli

Based on · First reported 3 Oct 2026 · Updated 5 Oct 2026

An Omani co‑pilot who had been barred by Oman Air for extremist views attacked the Flydubai captain with a crash axe and tried to seize the controls on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 4 October 2026; the aircraft carried either 182 people according to some reports or 170 passengers and crew according to another source.
The plane was diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia where the co‑pilot was detained and later transferred to the UAE; Israel received a passenger and crew list from the UAE before the flight and raised no red flags, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security review of all foreign civil aviation to Israel, tasking the National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra to appoint an examiner and noting that oversight falls to Mossad and Shin Bet.
The review is expected to clarify responsibility for the security of foreign airlines operating in Israel.

Sources