Defense Minister Confirms Jihadist Plot to Crash Dubai Flight

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has officially confirmed that a dramatic incident on a FlyDubai flight was an attempted jihadist attack. According to Katz, initial intelligence indicates the attacker's sole objective was to cause a catastrophic crash with dozens of passengers, many of them Israelis, on board.

The disaster was averted thanks to the swift and decisive actions of several Israeli passengers. Upon noticing the plane's sudden dive, these passengers reportedly broke into the cockpit, overpowered the assailant, and regained control of the aircraft, handing it back to the pilots. Another flight crew member was also present on the plane.

Katz issued a stern warning, stating, "When we, the Prime Minister and I, issue security warnings and alerts, it is advisable for everyone, our external enemies and also former officials who are not updated, to listen and take things seriously." He emphasized that these warnings are intelligence-based and do not preclude proactive, offensive operations against any threat.

Following a security assessment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it was decided to immediately halt FlyDubai flights to Israel until a full investigation is completed, accepting Transportation Minister Miri Regev's recommendation. Regev argued that the airline violated their aviation agreement because the co-pilot, an Omani citizen, had not previously landed in Israel.

Meanwhile, a FlyDubai rescue plane began boarding passengers in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after some opted not to board due to fear following the unusual incident. The plane is expected to land at Ben Gurion Airport in the evening, where a special reception area has been set up for passengers and their families. The incident has already had economic repercussions, with shares of El Al and Israir rising amid expectations of shifts in Israeli travel habits.