President Donald Trump stated at the White House that he believes the FlyDubai co-pilot who attempted to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv by stabbing the captain is likely connected to Iran's military. The incident occurred on Wednesday, resulting in an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers subdued the assailant. Over 170 people were aboard the plane, primarily Israelis. Trump warned that if confirmed, the US would punish Iran for supporting such actions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also suggested the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination based on gathered personal information.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-01,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 30, 2026, a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv signaled multiple emergency alerts while flying over Jordan, leading it to divert to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Israeli Air Force scrambled fighter jets due to initial fears of a hijacking. However, Israeli officials later reported that the incident was caused by a fight between the pilots and not a security threat. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, held emergency consultations regarding the diversion. The plane landed safely with all passengers unharmed; it carried around 150 people, mostly Israelis.
Written for “Israel Bound Flight Diverted” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 283 other(s) covering the same event.
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Donald Trump believes the FlyDubai co-pilot who hijacked a plane after stabbing the captain was likely linked to Iran's military before delivering a stern warning.
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who → sign → warning
The co-pilot stabbed the aircraft's captain in an apparent attempt to crash the plane as it flew from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
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it → stab → Wednesday
Disaster was narrowly averted after the wounded captain unlocked the cockpit door, enabling passengers to subdue the assailant.
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captain → avert → assailant
Trump said at the White House on Thursday that his administration is working to identify whether the co-pilot has links to Iran and its elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
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pilot → say → Iran
'We're working on it right now and being very open with us.'
Responding to whether the pilot has links to Iran or the IRGC, Trump shot back: 'I would say the answer, based on what I'm hearing, is yes.
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I → work → what
But we're working on it right now.
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we → work → it
If the co-pilot is found to have links to Iran, the US will punish the regime for backing the attack, Trump warned.
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Trump → find → attack
'They'll be hit very hard,' he said, delivering his five-word threat.
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he → hit → threat
President Trump said he believes that the co-pilot who stabbed the captain of a FlyDubai passenger flight to Tel Aviv in an apparent hijacking attempt likely is connected to Iran
This undated photo released on Israel's Foreign Ministry social media shows Indian Captain Smit Machchhar.
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photo → say → Machchhar
Machchhar was at the controls of a FlyDubai flight that was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing on Wednesday
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Yaniv Hayoun, Or Fradilov, Dr Shota Musayev and his wife, Sigalit, who he described as 'heroes,' who intervened to prevent a disaster on a FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates
'
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who → divert → Emirates
We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.
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he → know → indoctrination
That appears to be something we are gathering from his personal information,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News.
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Netanyahu → appear → News
Two Israeli security officials said their initial assessment is that the co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, was likely acting alone, though the investigation was still ongoing.
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investigation → say → national
The flight plunged more than 14,000ft in less than 30 seconds during the incident as it flew over Saudi Arabia on the journey from the United Arab Emirates to Israel, according to the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
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it → plunge → website
Despite the scare, all passangers remained safe during the incident.
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passangers → remain → incident
However, both the co-pilot and captain were hospitalized, according to Tabuk airport officials.
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co → hospitalize → officials
The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers subdued the co-pilot.
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passengers → make → pilot
Trump praised Boeing and its CEO Kelly Ortberg in a social media post Thursday morning for the design of the 737 MAX and its ability to withstand extreme conditions as it rapidly descended before stabilizing.
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it → praise → conditions
'Congratulations to the great Boeing Company for producing a plane, the 737 Max, that was able to withstand G Forces and Strain far beyond what it was designed and expected to do,' he wrote.
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he → produce → what
It is about time that The Boeing Company, which builds, by far, the finest commercial airliners in the sky, was given credit for this airplane's incredible 'genius!'
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which → build → genius