UAE Labels Flydubai Cockpit Stabbing an ‘Act of Terrorism’; Netanyahu Warns of Very Heavy Price

Dubai: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially called the mid-air stabbing aboard a flydubai service an ‘act of terrorism’, a day after ordering a formal inquiry into the episode. The characterisation came on Friday from Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In a message posted in Arabic on X, Gargash singled out Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian commander of the flight, for preventing a catastrophe that could have killed 174 people on board. He stated that Captain Machchhar had lived up to the highest ideals of bravery and duty, noting that his professionalism and moral compass in the darkest of moments had elevated him to the status of a true hero.

The adviser added that the incident must not be reduced to simplistic explanations or fuel for conspiracy theories, stressing that vigilance and caution remain essential in confronting the threats posed by extremism and terrorism.

Probe Team Formed, Jurisdiction Claimed

A day earlier, Emirati officials had announced a probe and assembled a team drawn from specialised wings of the public prosecution service. The officials pointed out that the UAE holds jurisdiction over the case because the offence took place on an aircraft operating under the flag, and that national legislation applies to crimes committed on board such flights.

The focus of the investigation is now on establishing what led the co-pilot, an Omani national whose name has not been disclosed, to allegedly attempt to bring down the aircraft. The jet, en route from the Emirates to Tel Aviv in Israel, was carrying 174 passengers and crew and was forced to divert for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, where the second-in-command is currently being held.

The Israeli intelligence and security officials have also travelled to Saudi Arabia to assist with inquiries, though the precise scope of their involvement remains unclear given that Israel and Saudi Arabia do not maintain formal diplomatic relations. Israel, which is a week away from marking the anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7 assault, had previously stated it had received no specific prior warning of an attack.

As per reports, one official stressed that the investigating agencies are keeping an open mind, adding that all possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into and nothing is ruled out for now.

Netanyahu Vows Heavy Price

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday cautioned that Israel would exact a very heavy price from any power found to be behind the flydubai incident, without presenting evidence linking any state to the act. In a statement, he said that as time passes, the picture is becoming clearer and that the attacker had undergone Islamist radicalisation and had boarded intending to crash the aircraft with everyone on board.

Netanyahu said that the investigating agencies are examining whether the co-pilot was dispatched by someone else and warned that whoever sent him would pay a very heavy price. He did not name any country as a possible culprit, but has over the years been quick to accuse Iran, which both Israel and the United States struck in February. He had earlier identified the co-pilot as Omani and had not dismissed the possibility of psychological issues.

US President Donald Trump, who had brokered a ceasefire with Iran in April that has since collapsed, said on Thursday when asked about the matter that he was hearing Iran was involved and that the country would be hit very hard if that proved to be the case. Israel and Washington have long tied Tehran to a series of attacks worldwide since the 1979 revolution, though Iran has a little-known history of involvement in hijackings, a tactic more closely associated with al-Qaeda during the September 11, 2001 strikes and with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the 1960s and 1970s.

According to the Israeli officials, the Tel Aviv-bound flight on Wednesday turned critical after the co-pilot stabbed Captain Machchhar. The Indian pilot then allowed passengers to enter the flight deck to help subdue the attacker, enabling the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia with no fatalities.