📰 10 sources 14 articles · 30 Sep 2026, 18:12 → 16 days ago

Fly Dubai plane hijacking attempt: investigations in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and US threats to Iran

The story concerns an incident aboard a Fly Dubai flight heading from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport, described as a hijacking attempt and an attack on the flight's commander. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are handling part of the investigations, Israel has requested to send observers or take part in the investigation, and US President Donald Trump has threatened a harsh strike on Iran if its involvement is proven, amid initial reports ruling out an Iranian link.

📍 Where things stand: Investigations into flight FZ1073 continue in Saudi Arabia and the UAE; Israel has requested to send observers and says it will receive the results, while Trump continues to threaten a harsh strike if Iran's involvement — not yet proven — is confirmed.

⏱️ Timeline

30 Sep 2026, 18:12 Al-Ahram Gate reported that Israel speaks of a terrorist attack linked to an incident aboard a Fly Dubai plane, while investigations indicate that any Iranian link to the incident is ruled out, amid questions about the circumstances.
30 Sep 2026, 20:04 The Hebrew page Shachar Kleiman reported that an Omani pilot is responsible for the attempt to hijack a Fly Dubai plane, and noted that attention in the Arab world is turning to Oman's mufti Ahmed Al-Khalili, who often declares his support for Palestinian factions, is 84 years old, was appointed mufti of the state in 1975, holds ministerial rank and headed the Sultan Qaboos Center for Culture.
30 Sep 2026, 21:25 Lebanon Debate reported, citing a Maariv report by journalist Avi Ashkenazi, that Israeli security agencies are awaiting Saudi approval to allow Mossad personnel to interrogate the suspected co-pilot in the Fly Dubai flight incident, that Mossad is managing the Israeli investigation while the Shin Bet helps collect statements and provide support, and that its investigators will wait for the passengers at Ben Gurion Airport to question them upon landing.
1 Oct 2026, 02:30 US President Donald Trump announced that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the attempted hijacking of a Fly Dubai plane, described the passengers' efforts to subdue the attacker as "very amazing", and said the co-pilot may have been a terrorist, noting that Netanyahu believes the hijacker planned to crash the plane. On the war against Iran, Trump said it will end soon, whether through negotiations or by using force.
1 Oct 2026, 06:09 In an extended interview with CNN, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will remain in buffer zones inside Lebanon and the Gaza Strip as long as the threat persists, and revealed that the pilot accused of attacking the commander of the Fly Dubai flight is being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, and that Israel will take part in the investigation with Emirati approval to determine whether Iran had any link to the incident.
1 Oct 2026, 20:53 The Hebrew channel Kan reported that Israel has requested to send observers on its behalf to the ongoing investigations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. An Israeli official said Israel will not take part in the investigation but will receive its results.
1 Oct 2026, 22:38 US President Donald Trump threatened a "very harsh" response against Iran if the investigation proves its involvement in the attempted hijacking of Fly Dubai flight FZ1073, expanding his warning to include Tehran-backed groups, foremost among them Hezbollah. Trump said the first answer on Iran's involvement is "yes" based on what he hears, but that the investigation is still ongoing, stressing that Tehran "will receive a very harsh blow" if its involvement is proven.
1 Oct 2026, 23:30 The Hebrew page Yaron Avraham quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying he recounted the story of the plane incident to US President Donald Trump, describing it as strange and resembling exaggerated Hollywood films.
2 Oct 2026, 01:12 US President Donald Trump vowed severe strikes against Iran if its involvement is proven in the incident of a Fly Dubai plane that was heading from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, and hinted at a possible Iranian link to the co-pilot who caused the incident, saying the co-pilot may have been a terrorist and that Netanyahu told him he believed the hijacker planned to crash the plane. Saudi Arabia announced that preliminary investigations into flight FZ1073 produced initial results, without the published summary including their details.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Identity and role of the person behind the hijacking attempt

An Omani pilot responsible for the attempt to hijack the plane according to المترجم احمد المقادمة
The suspected co-pilot according to Lebanon Debate

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

How the sources covered it

Coverage varied between focusing on the details of the Israeli security investigation, Israel's participation and its request to send observers (Lebanon Debate, المترجم احمد المقادمة), highlighting the US president's statements and threats against Iran (annahar.com, Shafaq News), a report focused on the Iranian side and the political reading of the incident (Janoubia), and one that opened by describing the incident as a terrorist attack while noting that an Iranian link was ruled out (Al-Ahram Gate).

بوابة الأهرام Opened with Israel's description of the incident as a terrorist attack and with investigations indicating an Iranian link is ruled out, focusing on the unclear circumstances.
المترجم احمد المقادمة Focused on what Hebrew pages reported about an Omani pilot's responsibility and about Oman's mufti Ahmed Al-Khalili, and on Israel's request to send observers to the UAE and Saudi investigations, along with an Israeli official saying Israel will not participate and will receive the results.
Lebanon Debate Highlighted details of the Israeli investigation (Mossad and Shin Bet, awaiting Saudi approval to interrogate the co-pilot), alongside Netanyahu's CNN remarks and Trump's threats to Iran and his warning to Hezbollah.
annahar.com Led with Trump's first comment on the incident and his description of the passengers' efforts, along with his statement that the war on Iran will end soon.
شفق نيوز Led with Trump's threat to strike Iran severely if its involvement is proven, added that the flight was heading from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport, and noted Saudi Arabia's announcement about the preliminary investigations into flight FZ1073.
جنوبية Addressed how Tehran reads the incident and whether it can dismantle the political use and the US accusations surrounding it.