UAE Official Calls Dubai Flight Incident 'Terrorist Act,' Suspects Iran

A senior UAE official has publicly designated the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight as a "terrorist act." Dr. Anwar Gargash, advisor to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, praised the Indian pilot, Smith Machchar, who was seriously injured while subduing the co-pilot. Gargash stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the pilot "embodied the true meaning of courage and responsibility" in the face of a "serious terrorist threat and a potential disaster." This marks the first time an official UAE source has unequivocally labeled the incident as terrorism.

An ongoing joint investigation involving Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE is examining potential Iranian involvement. New details suggest the co-pilot attacked and stabbed Machchar in the cockpit in an attempt to hijack the plane. Machchar, despite his severe injuries, managed to open the cockpit door and, with the help of passengers, neutralize the attacker, preventing a catastrophe for the 174 Israeli passengers aboard.

Intelligence assessments are increasingly pointing towards Iran's Ayatollah regime as being behind the incident, though full certainty has not yet been established. The suspect co-pilot is expected to be transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE for interrogation by a joint team of Emirati, Saudi, and Israeli investigators.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that intelligence indicates a direct Iranian connection and warned of a strong US response if this is proven. He also stated that Washington views Iran's fate as directly linked to its regional proxies, particularly Hezbollah.