U.S. allies Israel and Saudi Arabia scrambled jets early Wednesday morning in response to an incident aboard a FlyDubai flight that Israeli journalist Amit Segal reported was being treated as a “full-fledged terrorist attack.”
“It appears that the co-pilot repeatedly stabbed the captain. Once the attack began, several crew members and passengers managed to break through the cockpit door and subdue the attacker,” Segal wrote in a statement published on social media.
“According to one senior official, the co-pilot is currently being questioned, and indications are mounting that he intended to take control of the plane and crash it with the passengers on board.”
The flight, FlyDubai Flight FZ1073, was diverted after the incident from its original destination in Israel toward Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported. The Boeing 737 plane had “suddenly and rapidly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds” before pilots transmitted the first emergency signal, according to Flightradar24.
According to The New York Times, Israel scrambled fighter jets in response to the incident, though the jets “turned back before entering Saudi Arabian airspace.” Saudi Arabia scrambled jets in response to “investigate,” the Times reported, citing an unnamed Israeli official.
“The situation is under control, and all measures are now being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel safely,” reads a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Times reported.
Following situation assessments and passenger testimonies, Israel is treating the incident as a full-fledged terrorist attack. It appears that the co-pilot repeatedly stabbed the captain. Once the attack began, several crew members and passengers managed to break through the… https://t.co/BXS4kIjGXk
— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) September 30, 2026