Israel Scrambled Jets and Was Ready to Shoot Down Flydubai Flight 1073 Before It Turned Toward Saudi Arabia, Israeli Sources Tell CBS News
Two Israeli sources told CBS News that only the prime minister could have ordered a shootdown. The jets were recalled when the plane, about 400 miles out, turned toward Saudi Arabia. President Trump says he personally believes Iran was behind the attack, but Vice President Vance says he has seen no conclusive evidence, and Iran calls the claim a "false flag."
Two Fighter Jets, One Plane, and a Decision Only One Man Could Make
On Sept. 30, 2026, Flydubai Flight FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv. Its co-pilot attacked the captain in the cockpit with a crash axe and tried to take the controls, according to the UAE prosecutor general[3][19]. The prosecutor said the co-pilot "attempted to carry out a terrorist act"[3][19]. Passengers and crew subdued him. Two off-duty pilots who were traveling on the flight then took over and landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia[1][2].
No one aboard was killed. The captain, an Indian national named Smit Machchhar, was wounded[3]. The attacker is in UAE custody, and Abu Dhabi is leading the investigation[11].
Then, on Oct. 5, a second story surfaced. It was about what Israel had been ready to do.
What Israel Was Prepared to Do
CBS News reported that two Israeli sources described a tense stretch of radio silence. The plane dropped 14,000 feet. Israeli Air Force controllers couldn't reach the crew. Israel scrambled fighter jets and closed its airspace[1].
The plan, the sources said, was to shoot the plane down if it kept heading for Tel Aviv. Under the protocol, only the prime minister could give that order[1][2]. The jets were called back when the plane turned toward Saudi Arabia, about 400 miles from Israel. Saudi Arabia scrambled its own jets[1].
This is an account of readiness, not of action. It rests on two unnamed sources, and Israel hasn't confirmed it on the record. Israeli outlets, including the Times of Israel, relayed the CBS report. They didn't independently break it[2].
The Math of a Hijacked Jet
CBS reported that more than 150 Israelis were aboard[1]. Al Jazeera and India TV both put the total at 174 people[3][15]. So the sources were describing a plan that could have killed many of Israel's own citizens.
The sources' reasoning comes from 9/11. A hijacked airliner can work like a guided missile. Once it is over a city, it is too late to stop it. Defenders have to decide far out, often before they know what the attacker wants[1][2].
That is why the order is assigned in advance to one person. The sources told CBS that a shootdown would have been better than a crash into Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv's Azrieli towers or another "high-value target"[2]. Netanyahu said the crew "prevented another 9/11"[14].
A Pilot Who Was Already Flagged
The attacker is named in media reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. Oman had earlier barred him from flying over concerns about "extremist" views[3][12]. Yet he was flying a route to Israel.
That fact drives a second debate, and Haaretz has pressed it hard. Israel receives crew lists up to 48 hours ahead under a 2023 law. It also relies on informal arrangements to keep pilots from countries without diplomatic ties off its flights. Netanyahu called what happened here a "loophole"[13].
Haaretz asked what Netanyahu knew and when, and why Israel didn't flag a co-pilot whose name was on a list it held[13]. Critics see the shootdown story as shifting attention from that failure toward a picture of a government that was ready and decisive. That reading is theirs, and the sources haven't said it. Israel's government has its own incentive too. It wants to show its air defenses work and that its leaders will make the hardest call.
The UAE faces similar questions. Its stake is the Dubai–Tel Aviv route and the normalization behind it. Its account is that the system worked: crew and passengers stopped the attacker, and the plane landed safely[3][11]. It still has to explain how a pilot flagged as a risk was cleared to fly[12].
Who, If Anyone, Was Behind Him
The biggest open question is whether anyone stood behind the co-pilot. Israeli media, citing unnamed officials, report that he told investigators he meant to crash at Ben Gurion Airport. UAE authorities haven't confirmed that[9][10].
President Trump, asked about an Iran link, said "yes"[6]. He later told Fox News, "I do, I personally do," while saying the investigation continues[5]. He has also warned that the U.S. would hit Iran "very hard" if investigators tie it to the attack[4]. The U.S. is in an active conflict with Iran. So blaming or clearing Tehran has military consequences.
Vice President JD Vance was more careful. On Oct. 5 he said he had seen nothing conclusive yet[7]. The two statements now sit side by side. Whatever investigators find will either back up the president or undercut him.
Iran's Foreign Ministry denies any role. Spokesman Esmail Baghaei called the claim a "false flag" built on "fabricated evidence." He cited what he called Israel's and some European countries' "history of using false-flag operations"[8]. Tehran's strongest point needs no Iranian source. No government has publicly shown evidence of a foreign sponsor[7]. The only documented clues about motive are the co-pilot's reported statement and his past grounding over extremism. Neither points to a state[9][12].
Same Event, Different Headlines
Each outlet stressed the angle nearest its own stake. Fox News led with Iran. One piece grouped Flydubai with a separate plot at a UK airbase under the label "Iran suspected." Lower in the story, it noted that no Iran link has been established[5].
India TV led with a "9/11-like" frame and the passenger count[15]. The captain is Indian, which helps explain the heavy play in Indian outlets. Al Jazeera focused on the investigation, the co-pilot's Australia ties and how he was cleared to fly[11][12]. Iran's semi-official Tasnim carried the denial as the whole story[8].
CBS stayed close to its two sources, and its headline says "sources say"[1]. The Times of Israel credited CBS and passed along the sources' view that a shootdown beat a crash[2]. Haaretz turned the story toward the prime minister's accountability[13].
What's still unresolved is how far the evidence will go. Abu Dhabi's investigation continues, and Australian counterterrorism police are looking into the co-pilot's time in Melbourne[11]. Israel hasn't put the shootdown account on the record. And the answer on Iran will shape what Washington does next[4][7].
Summary
On Sept. 30, Flydubai Flight 1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot attacked the captain in the cockpit with a crash axe and tried to take control of the plane, according to the UAE prosecutor general[3][19]. Passengers and crew subdued him. Two off-duty pilots on board then landed the jet in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia[1][2].
On Oct. 5–6, CBS News reported, citing two Israeli sources, that Israel scrambled fighter jets, closed its airspace and prepared to shoot the plane down if it kept heading for Tel Aviv[1]. Under the protocol, only the prime minister could give that order[1][2]. The jets were called back when the plane, about 400 miles from Israel, turned toward Saudi Arabia, which scrambled its own jets[1]. CBS says more than 150 Israelis were on board[1]. Israeli outlets, including the Times of Israel, relayed the CBS report[2]. Israel has not confirmed it on the record.
The biggest open question is who, if anyone, was behind the co-pilot. Asked about an Iran link, President Trump said "yes"[6]. He later said he "personally" believes Iran was responsible[5] and warned of strikes if that is proven[4]. Vice President JD Vance said on Oct. 5 that he had seen no conclusive evidence[7]. Israeli media, citing unnamed officials, report that the co-pilot told investigators he meant to crash at Ben Gurion Airport; UAE authorities have not confirmed this[9][10]. Iran's Foreign Ministry called the claim a "false flag" based on "fabricated evidence"[8].
The Event
On Sept. 30, 2026, Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Officials say the co-pilot attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit with a crash axe[3][18]. According to two Israeli sources who spoke to CBS News, the plane dropped 14,000 feet. Israeli Air Force controllers got no answer by radio, so Israel scrambled fighter jets and closed its airspace. The jets were recalled once the plane turned toward Saudi Arabia, about 400 miles from Israel[1].
Undisputed Facts
- Flydubai Flight FZ1073, flying Dubai to Tel Aviv, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 30, 2026, after a fight in the cockpit[18][21].
- The UAE prosecutor general said the co-pilot used a crash axe on the captain, tried to take the controls, and "attempted to carry out a terrorist act"[3][19].
- Media reports name the co-pilot as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. He had earlier been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about "extremist" views[3][12].
- Two off-duty pilots traveling on the flight took control and landed the plane[1][2].
- Abu Dhabi is leading the investigation. Australian counterterrorism police are looking into the co-pilot's time in Melbourne[11].
- Al Jazeera and India TV both reported 174 people on the flight[3][15]. CBS separately reported that more than 150 of those aboard were Israelis[1].
- Trump said he personally believes Iran was behind the attack[5]. Vance said he had seen no conclusive evidence[7]. Iran's Foreign Ministry denied any role[8].
The Pressure
Strip away the moralizing and blame. What structural realities persist regardless of which narrative wins?
- The shootdown math
- A hijacked jet can reach a city in minutes. Defenders have to decide far out, often before they know the attacker's intent. That is why the decision was assigned in advance to one person, the prime minister. It is also why Israel moved as soon as the radio went silent[1][2].
- Vetting gaps on normalization routes
- Israel gets crew lists up to 48 hours ahead under a 2023 law. It also relies on informal arrangements to keep pilots from countries without diplomatic ties off flights to Israel. Netanyahu called what happened here a "loophole"[13]. A pilot already grounded in Oman over extremism still flew this route[12].
- Attribution as leverage
- In an active U.S.–Iran conflict, blaming or clearing Iran has military consequences. Trump has tied possible strikes to what investigators find[4].
Material realityThe plane landed safely and no one aboard was killed. The captain was wounded[3]. The attacker is in UAE custody, and Abu Dhabi leads the investigation[11]. The co-pilot reportedly told investigators he meant to crash at Ben Gurion Airport[9]. No government has publicly shown evidence of a foreign sponsor[7]. The shootdown story is about what Israel was ready to do, not what it did. It rests on unnamed sources[1].
Narrative as a weaponIsraeli security sources are shaping this story. Through CBS, they cast Israel as ready and decisive, and they frame a shootdown as the lesser evil. That shifts attention away from the vetting failure Haaretz is pressing[1][13]. Trump wants Iran seen as the likely culprit to back up his deterrent threat. Vance's caveat keeps the administration from being locked into that claim[5][7]. Iran wants the whole episode seen as a setup[8]. The UAE wants it seen as a lone terrorist stopped by brave crew, with the Gulf–Israel route intact[3]. The only documented evidence about motive so far is the co-pilot's reported statement to investigators and his past grounding over extremism. Neither points to a state sponsor[9][12].
How Each Side Sees It
Each major actor’s view — how it frames things, its underlying incentive, and how it’s materially affected. Tap a side to read it.
Frames it asIsrael's case rests on the lesson of 9/11. A hijacked airliner is a guided missile. Once it is over a city, it is too late to stop it. So fighter jets have to be ready to act far out, and someone has to own the hardest choice in advance. That is why the protocol reserves the order for the prime minister alone[1][2]. The sources told CBS that downing the plane would have been better than letting it hit Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv's Azrieli towers or another "high-value target"[2]. Israeli media, citing unnamed officials, report the co-pilot told investigators that crashing at Ben Gurion was his plan[9][10]. Netanyahu said the crew "prevented another 9/11"[14]. He also said Israel has intelligence that Iran and its proxies plan attacks on Israelis abroad, though he said there was no specific warning about this flight[13].
WhyTo show its air defenses work and its leaders will make the hard call. Critics such as Haaretz say the government also faces questions about why the co-pilot was not flagged, since Israel had received the crew list in advance under a 2023 law[13].
Impact on themThe report raises a hard public question: was Israel ready to kill more than 150 of its own citizens[1]? It also feeds a domestic debate over the vetting "loophole" that let a pilot from a country without diplomatic ties to Israel fly there[13][12].
Frames it asTrump's position is about deterrence. The U.S. is in an active conflict with Iran, and the administration points to Iranian plots abroad. So the president says publicly that the U.S. will hit Iran "very hard" if investigators tie it to the attack[4]. He told Fox News, "I do, I personally do" think Iran was behind it, while saying the investigation continues[5]. Vance's line is narrower: he has seen no conclusive evidence so far[7].
WhyTo keep pressure on Iran during a war and peace talks, without committing to strikes before the evidence is in[4][7].
Impact on themThe president's stated belief and the vice president's caveat now sit side by side in the public record. Any finding from the investigation will either back up or undercut the president[5][7].
Frames it asTehran says it is being framed. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei called attempts to link Iran to the flight a "false flag" based on "fabricated evidence." He pointed to what he called Israel's and some European countries' "history of using false-flag operations"[8]. Iran's strongest point needs no Iranian source: so far, no government has publicly shown evidence of an Iranian role, and the U.S. vice president says he has seen none that is conclusive[7].
WhyTo avoid being blamed for an attack that could justify new U.S. or Israeli strikes[4][8].
Impact on themIran faces a direct U.S. threat of military action that depends on what the investigation finds[4].
Frames it asThe UAE has called the attack terrorism and taken charge of the investigation. In its view, the system worked: crew and passengers stopped the attacker, the plane landed safely, and prosecutors are now tracing motive and any links to others[3][11]. Saudi Arabia let the plane land and scrambled its own jets[1].
WhyTo protect the Dubai–Tel Aviv air route and the normalization with Israel behind it, and to answer how a pilot flagged as a risk was cleared to fly[12].
Impact on themFlydubai faces scrutiny of its pilot vetting. Gulf states face questions about how they screen crew on flights to Israel[12].
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The Bias Ledger average rating 4.6
The same story, as framed by outlets across the spectrum, ordered least to most biased. The bias score (1 = straight, 10 = heavily spun) is an AI assessment of that framing — click an outlet to see its track record. The tell is the word choice or omission that reveals the angle.
| Outlet | Vantage | Bias | How they frame it | The tell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBS News | U.S. center | 3 | Israel was prepared to shoot down FlyDubai plane after attack on captain, sources say | This is the original scoop. It is sourced to two unnamed Israeli sources and says so in the headline ("sources say"). Even so, it cannot be checked on the record. |
| Times of Israel | Israeli center | 3 | Israel was ready to shoot down flydubai flight, scrambled jets before calling them off -- report | It credits CBS and carries the sources' view that a shootdown beat a crash into a "high-value target" without challenging it. |
| Israel National News | Israeli right (religious-nationalist) | 3 | Report: Israel was prepared to shoot down Flydubai plane | A plain relay headline. The outlet's wider coverage fits a security-first view. |
| India TV News | Indian | 5 | Fearing a 9/11-like attack, Israel prepared to shoot down flydubai flight with 174 onboard: Report | The "9/11-like" frame and the passenger count lead, which plays up the drama. |
| Haaretz | Israeli left | 5 | Netanyahu's Flydubai Problem: What Did He Know About the Attack, and When? | It turns the story into a question about the prime minister's accountability for a vetting failure. |
| Fox News | U.S. right | 6 | Iran suspected in RAF Fairford plot and in FlyDubai terror attack | It groups two separate incidents under "Iran suspected." The fact that no Iran link has been shown appears lower in the story. |
| Tasnim News Agency | Iranian semi-official (IRGC-aligned) | 7 | Spokesman Calls Attempts to Link Flydubai Incident to Iran A 'False Flag' | It carries the government denial as the whole story, with no account of the evidence on the attacker. |
References
- Israel was prepared to shoot down FlyDubai plane after attack on captain, sources say — CBS News · U.S. mainstream broadcast network (Paramount Skydance-owned); center
- Israel was ready to shoot down flydubai flight, scrambled jets before calling them off -- report — Times of Israel · Israeli English-language independent outlet; center
- Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with crash axe in 'terrorist act': UAE — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded broadcaster
- Trump warns Iran of fresh strikes if Tehran involved in FlyDubai plane incident — Fox News · U.S. right (Fox Corp.)
- Iran suspected in RAF Fairford plot and in FlyDubai terror attack — Fox News · U.S. right (Fox Corp.)
- Fox News on X: Trump says 'yes' flydubai co-pilot linked to Iran — Fox News · U.S. right (Fox Corp.)
- Trump blames Iran for flydubai attack, but Vance says evidence is not conclusive — The Statesman · Indian commercial daily; center
- Spokesman Calls Attempts to Link Flydubai Incident to Iran A 'False Flag' — Tasnim News Agency · Iranian semi-official, IRGC-aligned
- Flydubai pilot planned to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport, Israeli media reports — ABC News (Australia) · Australian public broadcaster; center
- Flydubai terrorist said to tell investigators he intended to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport — Times of Israel · Israeli English-language independent outlet; center
- Police investigating Flydubai co-pilot's Australia ties — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded broadcaster
- How was Flydubai co-pilot cleared despite being deemed a security risk? — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded broadcaster
- Netanyahu's Flydubai Problem: What Did He Know About the Attack, and When? — Haaretz · Israeli left-liberal independent daily
- Pilot on Tel Aviv-bound FlyDubai 'prevented another 9/11,' Netanyahu says — Fox News · U.S. right (Fox Corp.)
- Fearing a 9/11-like attack, Israel prepared to shoot down flydubai flight with 174 onboard: Report — India TV News · Indian commercial broadcaster; populist, generally pro-government
- Israel was ready to shoot down Flydubai jet if it continued towards Tel Aviv: Report — The Tribune · Indian trust-owned daily; center
- Report: Israel was prepared to shoot down Flydubai plane — Israel National News · Israeli religious-nationalist right
- What happened on the diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv? — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded broadcaster
- FlyDubai plane attack by co-pilot was an attempted 'terrorist' act, UAE says — CNBC · U.S. business network (NBCUniversal/Versant); center
- Israel was prepared to shoot down Flydubai plane if it continued towards Tel Aviv: Report — Business Today · Indian business magazine (India Today Group); center
- Flydubai co-pilot 'assaulted' captain before landing: Initial Saudi probe — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded broadcaster