Netanyahu Cancels Southern Visit After Dubai Flight Diversion Amid Suspected Terror Plot

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned visit to the Southern Command on Wednesday with IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The cancellation followed an incident involving a Flydubai flight en route to Israel, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia due to a suspected attempt by the co-pilot to crash the plane. Netanyahu, Kochavi, and Katz will instead hold security discussions throughout the day.

Security officials increasingly suspect the incident was an act of terrorism, and Shin Bet teams are conducting a thorough investigation. While no definitive conclusions have been reached, all possibilities are being examined. The passengers are expected to be evacuated by a military aircraft. The co-pilot, from Oman, is currently being questioned in Saudi Arabia, with Israeli officials involved in the interrogation.

Following an assessment between the police and the Shin Bet, it was decided that Shin Bet agents would question the passengers upon their arrival in Israel. The primary suspicion is that the Omani pilot intended to crash the aircraft, but the co-pilot, an Emirati national, regained control with the assistance of passengers and undercover security personnel. Additional pilots on the flight also aided in landing the plane.

The Mossad is managing the incident with Saudi Arabia, while Israel is coordinating the necessary approvals for an IDF aircraft to transport the passengers home. The Israeli Air Force activated a protocol similar to one used during suspected hijackings, involving the scrambling of fighter jets.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Israel must consider the intent behind the act, asserting that anyone who attempted to crash the plane and murder 180 Israelis should face consequences as if the act had been completed. He also expressed gratitude for the rescue and emphasized the need to pursue and destroy enemies.

The Flydubai flight, carrying 174 passengers including 27 children, departed Dubai and was scheduled to land in Israel around 9:30 AM. However, after about an hour and a half, as it entered Jordanian airspace, the plane transmitted emergency code 7700 and later code 7500, indicating a hijacking. The aircraft then turned back towards Saudi airspace, flying at a lower altitude before landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. Flydubai confirmed that the distress signal was activated due to an act of violence on board, specifically a fight between the pilots. The airline has launched its own investigation and informed Israeli authorities.