What happened
An attempted jihadist terrorist attack occurred on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. The incident happened when an Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the Emirati captain with a knife and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
The plane, which was carrying around 174 to 180 people, rapidly descended from cruising altitude and transmitted emergency signals, including code 7500, indicating unlawful interference. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as authorities feared the aircraft had been hijacked.
However, Israeli passengers on board stormed the cockpit and overpowered the alleged attacker, regaining control of the aircraft. The plane ultimately landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Saudi security forces surrounded the aircraft and arrangements were made to return the passengers to Israel.
According to Katz, the attacker's intention was to crash the aircraft with all its passengers aboard. The incident is under investigation, and Israeli officials have defended recent security warnings, saying they should be taken seriously.
