Israel was fully prepared to shoot down a Flydubai passenger aircraft after its co-pilot attempted to hijack the plane and crash it into key Israeli infrastructure, according to Israeli intelligence and defense sources cited by CBS News on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on September 30, 2026, during Flydubai Flight FZ1163 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying over 180 passengers, including more than 150 Israeli nationals. While cruising over Saudi Arabian airspace, the co-pilot attacked the aircraft's primary captain, Indian national Smit Machhar, with an emergency axe in an attempt to seize control. Captain Machhar sustained injuries while overpowering the co-pilot, eventually performing an emergency landing at Taif International Airport in Saudi Arabia. As transponder hijacking codes were triggered mid-flight, Israeli defense forces activated post-9/11 protocols, scrambling fighter jets, shutting down national airspace, and preparing interceptors to destroy the aircraft before it could reach major targets like the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv or Ben Gurion Airport. Official authorization from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have been required for final engagement. The aircraft landed safely in Taif without passenger casualties.
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Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
