An Omani co-pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed the Emirati captain and attempted to crash the plane on Wednesday morning in what Israeli officials described as an attempted jihadist terror attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot stabbed his colleague and tried to send the aircraft into a dive with nearly 180 people aboard, most of them Israelis. Passengers and crew members reportedly broke into the cockpit, overpowered the attacker, and handed control to off-duty pilots who landed the plane safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

The Boeing 737 MAX descended rapidly, losing thousands of feet in seconds according to flight data, before transmitting emergency codes including the hijacking signal. Israeli authorities scrambled warplanes in response but the situation was resolved without further incident.

Defense Minister Israel Katz called the event a "jihadist terrorist attack attempt" thwarted only by the bravery of Israeli passengers who entered the cockpit. Netanyahu thanked those who prevented what he called a potential heavy disaster.

The co-pilot, employed by Flydubai for about nine months, was arrested upon landing and is being interrogated by Saudi authorities. Israeli officials assessed the motive as terror-related rather than a mental health issue, noting the targeted nature of the flight carrying many Israelis.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev suspended Flydubai operations to Israel pending an inquiry into crew vetting under bilateral aviation agreements. The incident highlighted ongoing security concerns on routes to Israel following the Abraham Accords.

Passengers reported chaos as the plane plunged, with some fearing a repeat of the September 11 attacks. No passengers were reported to be seriously injured, though both pilots received medical treatment.

Saudi officials confirmed the emergency landing and ongoing investigation. The event prompted heightened vigilance at Ben Gurion Airport as authorities arranged to transport passengers onward to Israel.