Flydubai Hijack: Israel Envoy Says Attack Appeared Planned, Probe Into Possible Links Continues

Speaking to NDTV, Israeli Ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley described the Flydubai FZ1073 incident as a terror attack and said the investigation is continuing to determine whether the attacker had links to an organised group. Yossi Shelley said the reported use of prayer before the cockpit attack and the axe assault on Captain Smit Machchhar indicated a planned act rather than an individual losing control. He praised the bravery of the Captain Smit Machchhar and said Emirati authorities, with Saudi Arabia's initial assistance, are investigating the incident. Shelley also warned that investigators must determine whether others were connected to the alleged plot. On Iran, he accused Tehran of financing and supporting militant groups and linked it to what he described as a broader threat against Israel.