A flydubai flight bound for Dubai is seen before taking off from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Sept. 30, 2026. (Credit: Jack Guez / AFP)
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A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday following a violent altercation between the two pilots, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. The aircraft had earlier sent emergency signals, including code 7500, indicating unlawful interference on board. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as a "jihadist terrorist attack attempt," claiming that passengers subdued the co-pilot. Flydubai, which confirmed an "incident" took place in flight, said the reasons for the altercation remain "unknown" and urged against avoiding premature speculation.
Why it matters
The incident comes amid an especially tense regional context, as Israel continues its war in the Middle East and prepares for legislative elections scheduled for October. Israeli authorities have issued in recent weeks issued repeated warnings against possible attacks. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of "indications" that Israel’s enemies might try to strike the country ahead of the vote. Israel Katz, for his part, had threatened to target leaders of the Islamist movement Hamas living abroad.
What to watch for
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, called Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal" on Tuesday in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan. When asked about the Israeli Prime Minister’s responsibility in the war in Gaza, he answered in the affirmative, notably denouncing strikes on hospitals and schools. Sheikh Mohammed plays a central role in Qatar's mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza.
Elsewhere in the news
- In Lebanon, four out of five families struggle to meet their basic needs. UNICEF, the U.N. agency for children, on Wednesday issued a grim report on the impact of Lebanon’s crisis on children. Its report, "A Persistent Nightmare," found that four out of five households struggle to meet their basic needs. Twenty-two percent of surveyed families said their children went to bed hungry, while only 10 % of households with children under five were able to provide them with sufficiently nutritious food. UNICEF also notes that 31 % of households were unable to get medical care for their children when needed due to lack of resources, and 14 % reported that at least one child was working — more than double the rate recorded in January 2025.
- Banking reform: Aoun refers article to Constitutional Council. President Joseph Aoun has referred article 3 of the banking reform law to the Constitutional Council, rekindling a dispute over the division of powers between the Lebanese central bank (BDL) and the Higher Banking Authority. The referral comes as Parliament is set to discuss a bill aimed at restoring financial balance and returning deposits, a key issue in restructuring the banking sector and reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- 'We want peace with all our neighbors,' says Rajji. During a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji defended the government’s decision on the weapons monopoly, saying Lebanon’s stability requires "ending the occupation and having Hezbollah hand over its weapons." He said that "implementation of government decisions is progressing." "We want peace with all our neighbors," Rajji added, calling on Iran to "stop interfering in Lebanese affairs." He also said that "the Lebanese Army is the only hope," and praised U.S. support for the military institution. He also stressed the government’s commitment to direct negotiations with Israel under U.S. sponsorship, presenting this as "the only way to recover territories and allow residents to return to their villages."
- Nabatieh Fawqa: Army ultimately denies Israeli strike. The Lebanese Army reported that the explosion that injured four people, including a soldier, Wednesday morning in Nabatiyeh Fawqa was not the result of an Israeli drone strike as it has earlier stated, but an explosion of a "suspicious object." The incident occurred while soldiers escorted residents returning to collect belongings in the village, following a night of heavy Israeli bombing and demolitions in southern Lebanon, notably in Mansouri, Mais al-Jabal, and Aita al-Jabal.
- Berri receives Macron's envoy, Geagea meets with U.S. lawmakers. In Ain al-Tineh, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met with French President Emmanuel Macron’s economic envoy, Jacques de Lajugie, to discuss financial and economic reforms. In Meerab, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea met with U.S. Congress members Darin LaHood and Josh Gottheimer to discuss political and security developments in Lebanon and the Middle East.
