Netanyahu Says FlyDubai Stabbing Motive Still Unclear

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that it was too early to determine why a co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked his colleague.

Speaking to CBS News, Netanyahu said he did not think the incident was a hijacking. He also suggested that the co-pilot’s actions appeared to be aimed at a suicide attempt, pointing to how a passenger described what he saw when he entered the cockpit and helped subdue the attacker.

Motive Still Unknown

Netanyahu told CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil that authorities had not established a definitive reason for the attack.

He said the attacker tried to interfere with cockpit equipment between the two seats used by pilots, rather than trying to stabilise the aircraft from the captain’s position.

“My guess is it looks like a suicide attempt,” Netanyahu said, referring to Yaniv Hayoun, a passenger on the flight who was credited with entering the cockpit during the attack.

When asked whether the incident could have been linked to mental health rather than terrorism, Netanyahu said it was not clear yet and that Israel would eventually “find out” what happened.

Flight Turbulence After Attack

Israeli officials said the stabbing occurred about two hours into the flight. The co-pilot attacked the captain, who is an Indian national.

Data analysed by CBS News partner network BBC News showed that after the incident the aircraft dropped about 17,000 feet, climbed 5,000 feet, and then fell another 7,000 feet before stabilising.

Israeli officials and passengers said the captain fought off the co-pilot and unlocked the cockpit door. Witnesses described passengers and crew rushing into the cockpit and helping to restrain the attacker.

According to the report, two off-duty pilots took control and carried out an emergency landing at an airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. There were 174 people on board, Israeli officials said. Most passengers later travelled on a replacement FlyDubai aircraft to Ben Gurion International Airport, arriving on Wednesday night.

Attacker Background And Interrogation

An Omani official confirmed to CBS News that the attacker, whose name has not been released, was born in Oman and holds Omani citizenship. Netanyahu said the co-pilot was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia.

He added that Israeli authorities would take part in questioning and seek to determine what happened.

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Netanyahu also addressed concerns about wider security threats. He said Israel had seen indications that Iran, including through proxies, intended to raise terrorist attacks against Israel and Israelis abroad. However, he said it was too early to conclude whether there was Iranian involvement in this case.

Investigators have not yet set out a conclusive motive. An Israeli security official previously told CBS News that investigators were considering whether the attack could resemble an attempted September 11-style operation.

FlyDubai Calls For Restraint

FlyDubai said in a statement that it urged “all parties to refrain from premature speculation” while authorities gather facts. The airline said that, at this stage, the underlying reasons and motives were unknown and subject to a formal investigation.

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1 October 2026