Netanyahu calls stabbed Indian pilot a hero; Flydubai halts Israel flights

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1. 1h ago

   Netanyahu Praises Indian Pilot After Flydubai Cockpit Attack

   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Captain Smit Machchhar as a hero for saving 174 people on a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight after a co-pilot stabbed him. The incident caused the plane to plunge before passengers, including a plumber and a dentist, helped subdue the attacker. Flydubai has halted all flights to Israel while Emirati officials and a security team investigate possible terrorist links. Netanyahu claims the Omani co-pilot underwent Islamic radical indoctrination, though he noted it is too early to confirm if Iran played a role.

   Why it matters

   The attack occurred on flight FZ1073, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia. The attacker, Hamam al-Hammami, reportedly used a crash axe during the struggle. The event has escalated into a diplomatic and security issue involving Israel, India, and the UAE.

   What is confirmed

   • Captain Smit Machchhar saved 174 people on a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight.
   • An Omani co-pilot stabbed Captain Machchhar during the flight.
   • Flydubai has suspended all flights to Israel.
   • Passengers and crew intervened to secure the cockpit and stop the plane from diving.
   • The flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia.
   • Emirati officials are investigating the incident for terrorist links.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, studied at a UK university.
   • The co-pilot begged to be killed after attacking the captain.
   • Israeli investigators believe the attacker was likely a lone wolf.

   What to watch next

   • Results of the Emirati security investigation into terrorist links
   • Official confirmation of the attacker's motive from Flydubai
   • Diplomatic response from Oman regarding the co-pilot's background
   Sources used for this update (27)

   1. www.aljazeera.com — Benjamin Netanyahu | Today's latest from Al Jazeera
   2. www.cbsnews.com — Netanyahu lashed Mamdani in fiery U.N. speech, but real aim was his own political survival, analyst says
   3. en.wikipedia.org — Benjamin Netanyahu - Wikipedia
   4. Reuters — Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after brawl between pilots, Israeli official says
   5. The Free Press — ‘I Ran Toward the Cockpit’: An Exclusive Interview with the Israeli Dad Who Stopped a Hijacking
   6. Al Jazeera — Netanyahu praises stabbed Indian pilot for saving lives on Flydubai flight
   7. The New York Times — A Bloody Attack on a FlyDubai Plane Headed to Israel, and a Terrifying Plunge
   8. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos — Plumber helped subdue flight attacker, pull plane out of dive
   9. CNN — ‘I was sure I was going to die’: Inside the Flydubai flight where passengers fought off a terrifying attack
   10. The Guardian — A ‘hero’ pilot, plumber and dentist among those who saved flydubai flight to Israel
   11. CNN — Captain Smit Machchhar: The ‘jovial’ pilot and father who thwarted the Flydubai attacker
   12. The Guardian — Netanyahu says too early to tell who was behind plane incident as flydubai halts all flights to Israel
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