Defense Minister Israel Katz called the incident a “jihadist terrorist attack attempt,” saying preliminary information indicated the attacker intended to kill everyone aboard. Flydubai confirmed an altercation in the cockpit but said the reasons and motives remained unknown and under formal investigation. Both pilots were hospitalized with injuries, Tabuk airport said. All passengers were safe.
Passengers from the diverted flight departed for Tel Aviv, a passenger told AFP. Flydubai deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk and said the incident had no effect on other scheduled flights across its network. Netanyahu said he had instructed Israeli security agencies to prepare for other potential threats.