Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain aboard a Flydubai flight had undergone “radical Islamist indoctrination” and appeared intent on dying during the mid-air assault.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Netanyahu said investigators were examining the motive behind the incident and would seek to determine whether the co-pilot had any connection to Iran.
His comments came a day after Flydubai Flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a violent confrontation in the cockpit.
The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, was seriously injured after being attacked by his co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and other pilots then intervened, helping bring the situation under control before the Boeing 737 landed safely in Tabuk.
What did Netanyahu say about the Flydubai co-pilot?
Netanyahu said there were indications that the Omani co-pilot had been subjected to Islamist radicalization, although authorities have not publicly established that as the confirmed motive for the attack.
“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu told Fox News.
The Israeli prime minister also said the attacker repeatedly shouted words to the effect of “Kill me, kill me” after being subdued, which Netanyahu interpreted as evidence that he was suicidal.
The description remains Netanyahu’s characterization of the incident. Investigators have not publicly confirmed the co-pilot’s ideological motivation or established whether he acted alone.
Why is Iran being mentioned in the investigation?
Netanyahu said Israel would examine whether the co-pilot had any connection to Iran or Iranian-backed groups.
He stressed, however, that it was too early to conclude that Iran was involved.
The Israeli leader also referred to what he described as warning signs involving Iran-backed organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah and said investigators would look into whether the Flydubai incident was connected to any broader threat.
No public evidence has so far established an Iranian role in the attack.
That distinction is important because an investigation into a possible foreign connection is not the same as confirmation that such a connection exists.
What happened aboard Flight FZ1073?
The flight was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the two pilots became involved in a violent confrontation.
The co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar, causing the aircraft to enter a steep descent. The plane reportedly lost thousands of feet in a matter of seconds during the crisis.
The incident triggered a hijacking alert and prompted Israeli authorities to scramble fighter aircraft amid fears that the passenger plane could have been deliberately taken off course.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar was able to unlock the cockpit door. That allowed passengers and other crew members to enter and restrain the attacker.
Two other pilots who were traveling as passengers then helped with the aircraft’s operation before it was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
How did the wounded captain help stop the attack?
Machchhar’s actions have become one of the central parts of the unfolding account.
According to reports, the captain remained capable of acting despite sustaining serious injuries. By opening the cockpit door, he created an opportunity for people outside the flight deck to intervene.
Passengers rushed into the cockpit and helped overpower the co-pilot.
The aircraft was subsequently stabilized, with other qualified pilots onboard helping the crew complete the emergency landing in Tabuk. Machchhar was taken for medical treatment and was later reported to be in stable condition.
Israeli and Indian officials have since publicly praised the captain’s actions.
Who was targeted in the attack?
The flight carried 174 people, most of them Israelis.
The attack therefore created the potential for a major aviation disaster, particularly after the aircraft began rapidly losing altitude.
Netanyahu described Machchhar as having played a key role in preventing the worst possible outcome. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the captain for his actions during the emergency.
Passengers were later transported onward to Israel aboard another aircraft.
What is known about the Omani co-pilot?
Authorities have publicly identified the attacker as an Omani national, but his name has not been officially disclosed in the reporting available so far.
He was arrested after the aircraft landed in Tabuk and remained in Saudi custody while authorities began questioning him.
Netanyahu said he expected Israel to become involved in efforts to establish exactly what happened and whether the suspect had any accomplices or outside connections.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Israel are all linked to the wider investigation in different capacities. The precise legal jurisdiction and any future transfer of the suspect remain matters for the authorities involved.
Has the attack been officially classified as terrorism?
Not at this stage.
Israeli officials have described the incident in terms including an attempted jihadist terror attack, but the motive has not yet been conclusively established by investigators.
Netanyahu’s claim about Islamist indoctrination is therefore an allegation made by a political leader during an active investigation, rather than a final finding from investigators or a court.
The distinction matters because several possible explanations reportedly remain under examination, and authorities have not publicly released a definitive account of why the co-pilot attacked his captain.
What happened to Smit Machchhar?
Machchhar was initially treated in Saudi Arabia after the emergency landing.
He was later transferred to Abu Dhabi for further medical treatment, according to reporting following the incident.
The pilot has received widespread praise in India and Israel for continuing to act despite his injuries and helping create the opening that allowed passengers to intervene.
His condition was later described as stable.
Why was the aircraft diverted to Saudi Arabia?
The flight was no longer in a position to continue normally toward Tel Aviv after the cockpit confrontation and rapid descent.
Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, became the emergency destination.
The landing allowed the injured captain to receive medical care and gave Saudi authorities the opportunity to take the alleged attacker into custody.
The passengers subsequently continued their journey to Israel on another aircraft.
What happens next in the investigation?
Investigators now face several major questions.
The first is the motive. Authorities need to determine why the co-pilot attacked the captain and whether the incident was planned.
The second concerns possible outside involvement. Israeli officials have raised the possibility of an Iranian connection, but no evidence publicly confirming such a link has emerged.
The third involves aviation security. The incident has already prompted Israel to announce tighter checks on pilots arriving in the country, raising questions about how airlines and regulators assess the background, security and fitness of flight crew.
Investigators will also need to reconstruct the cockpit confrontation, the aircraft’s dramatic loss of altitude and how passengers and other pilots managed to prevent the situation from becoming a full loss of control.
The unanswered questions surrounding FZ1073
The Flydubai incident has already produced extraordinary accounts of survival, but important facts remain unresolved.
The exact motive of the co-pilot has not been publicly established. Netanyahu has pointed to alleged Islamist indoctrination and possible suicidal intent, while authorities continue their investigation.
Likewise, there is no confirmed evidence publicly linking Iran to the incident.
What is established is that a violent confrontation occurred in the cockpit, the aircraft entered a dangerous descent, the captain was seriously injured, passengers and other pilots intervened, and the plane ultimately landed safely in Tabuk with all 174 people aboard.
The investigation will determine whether the incident was an isolated act by an individual or part of a broader plot.
For now, the most consequential question is not what one political leader believes the motive was, but what evidence investigators ultimately uncover.
