Theme: United Arab Emirates

Bloomberg reported plans by Abu Dhabi's state oil company, Adnoc, for a third pipeline from the western coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Fujairah that could supply Asian customers and bypass Hormuz. The existing pipeline, Habshan–Fujairah, has run since 2012 with a capacity of 1.5 million barrels a day, expandable to 1.8 million, and a second, the West-East pipeline, is expected to start operating in 2027. Adnoc told Bloomberg the report was not accurate and “purely speculative”.

The November contract of the Dubai benchmark traded at the start of this week at a discount of about $2 per barrel to the December contract, traders and brokers told Bloomberg — the first time the Dubai curve has slipped into contango since July. Contango, a structure in which contracts dated further out are worth more than prompt ones, indicates that concern about an immediate lack of crude has eased. Physical flows had been rising for two months, with Gulf producers accelerating ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman once tankers clear Hormuz. Rising Middle East supply has weakened both Dubai and Murban prices and increased buying from Asian refiners, especially in India, which preferred additional Middle Eastern cargoes to more expensive Russian barrels with higher freight costs.

ADNOC Gas will supply up to 1.6 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to TotalEnergies over five years, under an agreement announced on Tuesday by the gas unit of Abu Dhabi’s state energy firm and the French oil major. The first LNG deliveries will begin as early as this year, according to TotalEnergies. OilPrice notes that LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz have been severely constrained for eight months and that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains confident that long-term global demand will stay on the upside. The Ruwais LNG project, under development in Abu Dhabi, will have 9.6 million tons per annum of capacity, most of it already committed to buyers in Asia and Europe under long-term agreements.

Shell agreed to sell its 16.67% stake in Australia's North West Shelf project to subsidiaries of XRG, the international arm of Abu Dhabi's state oil company (ADNOC), for $1.45 billion, according to Reuters, in text published by MarketScreener. The deal is expected to close in 2027 and includes an additional milestone-linked contingent payment on top of the base consideration. It is XRG's first investment in Australian liquefied natural gas (LNG); the project has 14.3 million tonnes a year of liquefaction capacity.

An Emirati-owned offshore tug, the Selat Storm, was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz northwest of the Musandam Peninsula, and was seen partially submerging on Sunday evening. It was the second likely Iranian attack on a tug in the strait since October 18, when a projectile hit the Dutch-flagged tug JIF Barracuda.

The chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Sultan Al Jaber, said that global reserves have shrunk by nearly 1 billion barrels because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, he said diesel fuel reserves in some countries are at their lowest seasonal levels in 35 years and that other nations face a supply deficit of 600 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

A diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Manama Dialogue that the country hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US, according to Middle East Eye.

The United Arab Emirates is hoping for a “breakthrough” that could end the conflict with Iran, its Al-Ain outlet reported, according to the Jerusalem Post. In the same report, Gargash said that “the security of the Gulf states is interconnected and what affects any of them affects the UAE”, and that “trust with Iran has been shaken”.

An oil spill from a tanker attacked near the Strait of Hormuz is spreading along the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coastline, forcing the closure of some beaches and coastal areas. UAE authorities are working to contain the spill from a supertanker, and Umm Al Quwain Municipality is intensifying efforts to limit pollution and protect marine habitats.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemned Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for reiterating territorial claims over Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, according to the Tehran Times. He called the UAE’s claims “brazen and interventionist” and criticised Canada for endorsing them in a joint statement. Baqaei said “the islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb are inseparable and eternal parts of Iran’s territorial domain” and that the repetition of “baseless and unfounded” claims will not change “the established geographical, historical and legal realities.”

Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan extended her lead in the race for United Nations (UN) secretary-general with 11 votes in favor and 4 against in the 15-member Security Council, her strongest showing in seven closed-door ballots held in recent months to replace António Guterres, according to Reuters, in a text republished by Internazionale. Lana Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates, who entered the race, received 7 votes in favor, 6 against and 2 marked as no opinion in the first ballot she took part in.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia has not changed its position during the talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates, according to TASS. In the same statement, Lavrov said a compromise cannot extend to fundamental principles upon which a state's existence depends, least of all when the lives of millions hang in the balance.

A supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil was among three tankers that exploded and caught fire while traveling through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Friday, according to the Associated Press (AP). The force said the vessel had struck a naval mine. Oman’s navy evacuated 25 crew members of the merchant ship Riti, sailing under the Panamanian flag, after it was targeted and a fire broke out on board, Oman’s Maritime Security Center said in a statement. The United Arab Emirates said on Friday that the oil leak from the Gem No. 2 tanker had been stopped, with no new leakage detected, as cleanup operations continued along affected coastlines, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Members of the Sudanese diaspora and international human rights monitors denounced the candidacy of Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for the top UN job, citing her denial of accusations that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is fueling the war in Sudan by supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to the Guardian; Nusseibeh has the unanimous support of Gulf states but is accused of covering up backing for the RSF, accused of genocide.

ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods and Chevron upstream president Clay Neff have canceled plans to attend the United Arab Emirates' biggest oil show next week over security concerns, according to sources cited by Reuters and reported by OilPrice.

A court in the United Arab Emirates has sentenced eight people to life imprisonment over arms trafficking and money laundering linked to Sudan’s army, state media reported. The network intertwined arms deals, commercial companies, bank transfers and cash payments in the supply of weapons, ammunition and military equipment to the Sudanese Army. The court ordered the confiscation of ammunition and communications devices used in the crimes and the deportation of those convicted from the UAE after serving their sentences.

Security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine will be discussed in Abu Dhabi at a trilateral meeting in November, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to TASS. Peskov said the security guarantees should be mutual.

Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, held separate phone calls on Tuesday with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, and with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) foreign minister, Abdullah bin Zayed, the Egyptian ministry said on Wednesday. The Egyptian and Saudi ministers agreed to continue coordination through the four-way mechanism, which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, according to the ministry.

Sudan's permanent mission to the UN said it had fundamental questions about Lana Nusseibeh's independence, impartiality and credibility as a contender for the UN's top job, in a statement given exclusively to Middle East Eye. Sudan decries the candidacy as an attempt to ‘whitewash’ the United Arab Emirates' role in the civil war in Sudan, according to the outlet.

The United Arab Emirates closed some beaches after detecting an oil spill from a tanker in the Persian Gulf, according to Bloomberg. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said in a statement that authorities detected “a tanker oil spill affecting Umm Al Quwain’s beaches”, an emirate north of Dubai, according to Euronews.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to hold a trilateral meeting with the United States and Russia next month in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, according to Xinhua, citing the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. The meeting at the negotiating-team level is planned for the first half of November and depends on the Russian side, he said in an online address to the Hudson Institute. The Kyiv Independent reported that negotiation teams from the three countries will meet in Abu Dhabi in November to begin peace talks.

France and the United Arab Emirates have revived plans to jointly develop an upgraded Rafale fighter jet after talks stumbled earlier this year, officials said, according to the Hindustan Times. The project, for which France’s 2027 draft budget earmarks €3 billion ($3.36 billion), has returned to the top of the agenda after the joint plan by France and Germany for a next-generation fighter aircraft collapsed, according to Reuters, in a text republished by Euronext. The UAE is France’s biggest customer of the Rafale warplane, built by Dassault Aviation.

A book excerpted by Vanity Fair says Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, had access during Trump’s first term to secret bank accounts holding some $2 billion provided by United Arab Emirates (UAE) leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi royal Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Times of Israel. One of the accounts, in Israel’s central bank, was reportedly overseen by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Kushner denied all the allegations, as did former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who reportedly helped facilitate the arrangement.

All beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been temporarily closed after an oil spill from a tanker, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed. The ministry said its monitoring system detected the spill, after residents in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain reported unpleasant odours.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) nominated diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for United Nations (UN) secretary-general, according to France 24. Human rights defenders warn that choosing a diplomat from the Emirates, accused of backing forces linked to massacre in Sudan, would be a catastrophe for the UN.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday (10/22) that trilateral talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine could take place in Abu Dhabi, according to Opera Mundi. Peskov told reporters that Abu Dhabi is now being considered as the venue for the talks, according to TASS.

Senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) diplomat Lana Nusseibeh entered the race to become the next UN secretary-general on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Diplomatic sources in New York expect an official announcement soon that the UAE has put her forward, they told The Jerusalem Post. Guterres completes his second five-year term on December 31, and the selection will determine the 10th UN secretary-general.

French President Emmanuel Macron has secured the delivery of an additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain during a tour of the Gulf, France 24 reported. With the addition of deliveries from Saudi Arabia, France has commitments for 295,000 tonnes per month, just over 10 percent of its consumption, the French presidency added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled an expanded map of the Middle East showing Israel and the United Arab Emirates aligned with the RSF, a Sudanese paramilitary accused of committing genocide in Darfur, and with separatists in Libya, Yemen and Somaliland, according to Middle East Eye. The map was part of Netanyahu’s unveiling on Sunday of a new security doctrine that emphasizes preemptive strikes and the creation of “buffer zones” on Israel’s borders.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kuwait on Monday, where he was welcomed by Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, TRT World reported. The four-country tour seeks additional oil and diesel and will take him to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar by Wednesday; according to the broadcaster, the trip is also meant to improve the safety of energy shipping routes disrupted by the war between the United States and Iran.

The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday that the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel, attempted to carry out a “terrorist attack” with an axe during the flight. Captain Smit Machchhar described his reaction: “Immediately, my hand went to the knob that opens the door, and I screamed for my colleagues, screaming his name,” he told the Jerusalem Post.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker was attacked by several people on a skiff off the Yemeni city of Al Mukalla, and that the tanker’s armed security team fired two warning shots, forcing the skiff to alter course, according to Middle East Eye. A southbound tugboat was struck by two unidentified projectiles northeast of Khor Fakkan, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), leaving one person with minor injuries, according to Mehr News; UKMTO said the tug had sustained damage but was continuing on its route, and advised vessels to transit with caution.

The United Arab Emirates agreed to resume funding some Yemeni forces fighting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in exchange for Saudi air support, according to the Guardian. The southern Yemeni forces that will receive payments again are considered among the most effective in the fragmented anti-Houthi camp, according to the Guardian, in a text republished by Opera Mundi.

Two Maldivian pilots employed by flydubai were taken into custody in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on October 3, and their families have been formally informed of their detention by the Maldivian embassy in the UAE, according to The Hindu. Flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers and crew members, was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the alleged attack took place. The UAE has described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack and identified the accused co-pilot as 29-year-old al-Hammami.

The diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Anwar Gargash, said on Monday that targeting Saudi Arabia undermines the security of the UAE and all Gulf states, amid repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia during the past week, according to the Khaleej Times. Gargash called for revitalising joint Gulf action, particularly in its security and defence dimensions, and said Gulf security is indivisible and that all are targets.

All 22 Indian crew members of the MT GEM No. 2 oil tanker were rescued and are safe after an incident off the coast of Ras al-Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates, the Indian consulate said on Sunday (October 11, 2026), without giving details of the incident, according to Reuters, in a text republished by The Hindu.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Public Prosecutor said an Omani flydubai co-pilot planned to carry out a suicide attack on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, according to The Jerusalem Post. Reuters reported that the co-pilot intended to seize the flight and crash it into a terminal at Ben Gurion airport in Israel.

The US State Department notified Congress last week that it approved the sale of more than $2bn in US weapons systems to Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, according to Middle East Eye. Egypt will buy more than 2,000 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles and up to 200 launchers, for about $832m. The priciest purchase in the package is the UAE’s, for up to 10,000 APKWS-II laser-guided kits, at about $1.04bn; Kuwait will buy services and parts for Patriot batteries for $400m.

The US State Department approved the sale of more than $2bn in weapons systems to Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), notifying Congress last week, according to Middle East Eye. The priciest purchase among the tranche was for the UAE: up to 10,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II (APKWS-II) kits, which turn unguided rockets into precision munitions, for about $1.04bn. Egypt was cleared to buy more than 2,000 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles and up to 200 Javelin launch units, for about $832m.

Saudi Arabia launched an air safety probe into the flydubai flight FZ1073 incident, alongside the UAE-led criminal investigation, according to three people close to the matter, in a Reuters report republished by The Straits Times. The country notified specialist aviation agencies abroad that it would carry out a safety investigation under international rules; the flight was in Saudi airspace when the co-pilot attacked the captain with an axe. Israel has offered to take part in any Saudi-led safety investigation but has not so far been invited, according to the head of Israel’s air accident agency, to Reuters.

Repatriation flights operated by Israeli carriers to bring citizens back from Dubai to Tel Aviv have been canceled after the UAE revoked their landing permit, according to The Times of Israel. Arkia said it had the required permissions until Tuesday evening and had been futilely working to restore them.

Co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, 29, an Omani citizen, was restrained in an alleged attempt to take control of a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv with 182 people on board on 30 September and spent 175 days in New Zealand on a student visa, from 30 November 2018 to 23 May 2019, for part of flight training, according to The Guardian, citing New Zealand police confirmation of the stay. flydubai’s fast growth raises questions about recruitment and vetting after the attempted hijacking, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), in a text republished by the Hindustan Times.

Russia condemned the crime of the FlyDubai co-pilot, according to the Foreign Ministry, in a statement cited by TASS. Australian authorities launched a probe into the Omani co-pilot’s time in Australia after he was detained over an alleged attempt to seize an Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, according to AP, in a text republished by the San Bernardino Sun. The pilot is in custody in the United Arab Emirates after the alleged attempt to take control of the plane.

Initial findings indicate that the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and trying to take control of an Israel-bound flight acted alone, according to US authorities and a former Israeli security official. US officials stress that the investigation into last Wednesday’s incident is still in its early stages. Emirati authorities, who are overseeing the investigation, said on Saturday that the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a crash ax and tried to take control of the flight controls.

The United Arab Emirates shared with Israel the list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight, according to the Associated Press (AP), in text republished by PBS News; Israel had not raised red flags on any passenger or crew member, officials said on condition of anonymity.

The co-pilot of the flydubai flight said during interrogation that he planned to direct the hijacked aircraft to Tel Aviv and steer it into Ben Gurion Airport’s terminal, according to unnamed sources cited by Israeli Channel 12 and reproduced by TASS. The plan was thwarted only because the commander, despite his injuries, managed to open the cockpit door, TASS reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a thorough review of “all aspects” of security of foreign civil flights to Israel in the wake of the attack, according to The Washington Post.

The co-pilot of flight FZ1073 was identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani who had previously been barred from flying in Oman over alleged extremist views and moved to an administrative role at Oman Air before being hired by flydubai, according to Al Jazeera citing the Associated Press. Israel received the flight's crew and passenger lists in advance, and the checks would fall to the Transport Ministry's security department and the Mossad, according to Al Jazeera citing Haaretz. Iran denied any link to the incident and said the accusations are based on fabricated evidence, according to the Hindustan Times.

Australian authorities are investigating the links between the country and a Flydubai co-pilot who attempted to take control of a plane travelling to Israel, the BBC reported. The co-pilot is alleged to have attacked the captain with a crash axe during the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv before passengers managed to overpower him. Sources cited by ABC say he was issued a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017.

A United Arab Emirates official said the flydubai co-pilot attacked the captain with an axe, the BBC reported. A publication linked to Al-Qaeda reportedly called for copycat attacks on American and Israeli airliners, according to the Hindustan Times; the call appeared in the latest edition of al-Bayan, a weekly launched in July by supporters of Al-Qaeda.

Crude shipments from the Gulf region returned to pre-war levels between September 1 and 28, with at least 16.5 million barrels per day, according to maritime intelligence and research firm Kpler, in a report by The Times of India. Before the war, 83% of the region’s crude crossed the Strait of Hormuz; in September, 40% was exported through pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) without crossing the strait. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said member countries had released 325 million barrels of oil and oil products from strategic reserves, out of 400 million barrels pledged in March.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on international affairs, advised the United Arab Emirates (UAE) not to challenge Iran’s sovereignty over its three islands in the Persian Gulf, according to Mehr News. He dismissed recent UAE claims at the UN General Assembly regarding sovereignty over Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, saying the three islands will remain Iran’s forever.

The co-pilot of the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the pilot with a cabin crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, according to the United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor general. The plane, carrying more than 170 people, plunged 17,000ft (5,200m) two and a half hours into its journey. The prosecutor general said the co-pilot “attempted to carry out a terrorist attack”.

Dubai’s Crown Prince, Hamdan bin Mohammed, praised the “courage” of Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for averting a possible tragedy on flydubai flight FZ1073 and visited the pilot in hospital, where he remains under treatment, the Hindu reported. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) attorney general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said the co-pilot used a crash axe to attack Machchhar and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the state-run WAM news agency reported.

The attorney-general of the United Arab Emirates classified the Flydubai flight episode as a terrorist attack and said the investigation found the co-pilot had planned to carry out a terrorist attack, according to the state-run WAM news agency, cited by TASS. The co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe in an attempt to take control of the aircraft, according to the BBC.

The Flydubai co-pilot who attacked the captain has been identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, according to ABC News, cited by TASS. A source close to the United Arab Emirates government accused Israel of exploiting the incident for political purposes and delaying the restoration of Flydubai service, and claimed that, according to Emirati officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to connect the attack to Iran for political reasons ahead of Israel's election, according to Middle East Eye, which cites Ynet.

The Flydubai co-pilot who officials said nearly crashed a Tel Aviv-bound flight with 182 people aboard had been barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, according to the Associated Press, in a text republished by The Economic Times. Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed on repatriation flights beginning Friday to bring back passengers stranded after commercial travel between the two countries was suspended, according to The Hindu.

The co-pilot of flight FZ1073 was transferred on Thursday to the United Arab Emirates, where Israeli officials are expected to question him, according to a source cited by Reuters. Israeli investigators are expected to take part in the investigation led by the United Arab Emirates alongside Emirati authorities, seeking to determine what happened and examine the suspect's motives and background.

The Indian pilot told Prime Minister Modi, in a video call from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, that he managed to open the cockpit door to ask for help, according to Reuters. The account was recorded in a nearly 10-minute clip released on the prime minister’s social media channels. The jet, with 174 people on board, plunged nearly 14,000 ft (4,267 m) in less than 30 seconds in the incident.

Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel while the investigation into the FZ 1073 incident, on 30 September, continues. Israeli investigators will question the Omani co-pilot in the probe led by the United Arab Emirates, according to The Times of India, which cites Reuters. Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was praised by Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu.

El Al canceled two rescue flights scheduled for Friday (LY974-1, LY972) because Israeli airlines’ landing permits were revoked, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) did not grant landing permission for the two special flights meant to bring stranded Israelis home. The rescue flights were organized after the UAE canceled all flights to Israel, following an attack by a copilot on a flydubai route to Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday, according to The Times of Israel.

Three tankers linked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) struck in the Strait of Hormuz were already on the waterway non-compliance list, according to Mehr News. The vessels were identified as Al Ruwais, Sinbad and Mersin Prosperity, according to Al Bawaba.

Commander Smit Machchhar, lying on the cockpit floor and covered in blood, managed to trigger the opening of the Flydubai flight cockpit door, carrying 174 passengers on board, in a gesture Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded as heroic in a post on X early on Thursday, according to The Guardian.

A preliminary Saudi investigation into the emergency landing of a Flydubai flight found that the captain was assaulted by his co-pilot, the Interior Ministry said. Flight FZ1073, from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted to Tabuk airport with 174 passengers and eight crew members on board and arrived “safely” at 9:45am local time (06:45 GMT).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that the co-pilot of the Flydubai flight underwent Islamist radical indoctrination, saying investigators had learned this from the man’s “personal information”. The United Arab Emirates said it would take the lead in investigating whether the attack was linked to terrorism. A video circulating as a BBC report on the case is a deepfake and the claims it contains are unfounded; the BBC never broadcast it, according to France24.

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said the flydubai co-pilot was transferred to the United Arab Emirates, according to The Hindu. In the same report, asked whether the United States would retaliate against Tehran if Iran was behind the attack, President Donald Trump said Iran would be hit hard: “Oh they'll be hit, very hard, don't worry.”

US President Donald Trump called the Flydubai co-pilot a “terrorist, or perhaps a whack-job” after he allegedly attempted to crash the plane with 180 passengers on board, most of them Israeli, according to Middle East Eye. Trump said he had spoken at length with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the incident and said that, apparently, the co-pilot stabbed the pilot.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the suspect who allegedly tried to crash a flydubai flight to Israel had undergone “Islamist, radical indoctrination” and gave no details. Asked who helped radicalise the man, he said he did not know and that Israel was cooperating with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) investigation. In a separate statement, he said it was too early to say whether Iran was involved, but repeated the accusation of Islamist radical indoctrination. Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, widely praised as one of the heroes of the flight, was reportedly in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said overnight.

A fellow pilot described the flydubai co-pilot as someone with extreme religious behaviour: “He prayed excessively throughout the day and refused to shake hands with women,” he told Channel 16’s foreign correspondent Yosef Yisrael. The co-pilot joined the airline eight months ago and is an Omani national. Israel has called the incident a terror attack, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and flydubai have so far refrained from calling it one. The airline cancelled all its flights to Israel until its own investigation is concluded.

The flydubai plane flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged more than 17,000ft (5,200m) in less than two minutes, about two hours into its journey on Wednesday, before passengers and crew overpowered the attacker and retook control to land safely. Passenger Adam Polovincik, 40, told BBC Newshour that he hugged his six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter “really hard” and tried to stay calm for them as the attack unfolded.

Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, will reportedly demand at the security cabinet the extradition of the flydubai co-pilot who allegedly attempted to crash the Tel Aviv-bound plane with nearly 180 people onboard on Wednesday, according to the Hindustan Times, citing the Jerusalem Post. The suspect is being held in Saudi Arabia, where the aircraft carrying 174 people, including 27 children, made an emergency landing at Tabuk on Wednesday after an altercation in the cockpit. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Attorney-General Hamad Al Shamsi ordered the formation of a team of specialised Public Prosecution members to investigate the circumstances.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) opened an investigation into the attack on Flydubai flight FZ1073, on the Dubai–Tel Aviv route, according to G1, citing Agence France-Presse. The plane was carrying 174 passengers when it lost about 6,000 meters in two minutes after the confrontation in the cabin, according to El País. Passengers entered the cockpit, subdued the attacker and bound his hands.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said it was too early to tell who was behind the apparent attempt to crash the Dubai–Tel Aviv flydubai flight, carrying more than 170 people, most of them from Israel, with flights to and from Israel suspended during the investigation, according to The Guardian.

The pilot injured on the flydubai flight was identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, in stable condition in hospital, according to the BBC — despite being stabbed, he fought back, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker, in the version of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited by the BBC. A passenger said in a video released by Netanyahu that he put the attacker in a chokehold and pulled him out of the cabin, according to the Hindustan Times.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said one of the pilots of the plane flying from the United Arab Emirates to Israel stabbed his co-pilot and appeared to try to crash the aircraft, according to The Guardian. The plane descended 17,000 feet in two minutes before it was stabilised, the newspaper said. Captain Machchhar, seriously injured in the stabbing, fought back, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker, preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. Netanyahu said the captain saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals, and called him “a true hero,” according to TASS.

Flydubai temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel until the investigation into flight FZ 1073 is completed, according to TASS. In a statement, the airline confirmed the suspension stands while the investigation continues, according to Middle East Eye. Flight FZ1073, which left Dubai for Tel Aviv, transmitted emergency signals and made a sharp descent before diverting to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, according to The Hindu. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the pilot a “true hero” and said that, despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. Israeli news site Ynet, citing Israeli officials, reported that the co-pilot was an Omani national and was suspected of trying to crash the aircraft.

The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, warned the United Arab Emirates against hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that doing so would not have positive consequences, according to the state-run Mehr News. In a post in Arabic on X, Rezaei said that just as hosting US military bases had not brought security to the UAE, hosting the “Gaza butcher” would not have positive consequences either.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said passengers and crew members stopped an attempted midair hijacking of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv after one of the pilots stabbed the other and tried to crash the aircraft, according to VINnews. The airline said the reason for the altercation between the pilots is unknown and is under formal investigation. Both pilots were injured and taken to a hospital after landing in Tabuk, according to airport officials.

A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after an incident en route, with all passengers safe, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli officials told local media the diversion followed a physical fight between the pilots, ruling out a hijacking — the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no hijack scare. The plane was carrying around 150 people, most of them Israeli, according to the BBC.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned on Tuesday the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Iran International. The UAE confirmed that Netanyahu was in the country on Sunday and met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to Israel National News, Netanyahu and his wife visited the UAE on Sunday at the invitation of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and the visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional challenges.

Saudi Arabia appears to be mending fences with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to push back a Houthi offensive in Yemen that threatens the Saudi Red Sea oil export corridor, with drones already striking Riyadh, according to Middle East Eye. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the Emirati vice president, Mansour bin Zayed, in Riyadh on Tuesday, in the most visible reconciliation effort after disputes over Sudan, Yemen and Somaliland.

Saudi Arabia’s defence minister invited UAE Vice President Mansour bin Zayed to the kingdom for a face-to-face meeting on Tuesday, according to Saudi state media. In July, top officials and ministers in both countries posted messages about friendship and unity on social media, signalling a rapprochement months after a public fallout over Yemen, according to Middle East Eye.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, according to Al Jazeera. The official WAM news agency said the two sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them.

During a meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to refute a report that he had warned Israel of an impending Hamas attack, according to Middle East Eye. The report, in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, said the Emirati leader had warned Netanyahu days before the Hamas-led attack. The UAE Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the latest report and said it maintains “open and direct lines of communication” with Israel and shares “all relevant intelligence”.

Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made an unannounced visit to the United Arab Emirates to meet with the country’s leader, according to the Middle East Eye. TV channels 12 and KAN and the newspapers Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post said it was a one-day visit to meet President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Two sources confirmed that Netanyahu flew to Abu Dhabi on a private plane Sunday morning and returned to Israel that evening, according to the World Israel News, citing Channel 12. The Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose further details about the meeting.

Turkey and Oman have halted incoming flights from private carrier Mahan Air, while the United Arab Emirates has stopped all flights by Iranian airlines, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in a post on X cited by Hindustan Times. Bessent said teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime and that “these efforts are delivering results”. The Treasury has held discussions with more than 50 countries, according to the Wall Street Journal cited by Hindustan Times.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent thanked the governments of the United Kingdom, Turkey, Oman and the United Arab Emirates for supporting “Operation Economic Outcast”, Washington’s economic campaign against Iran, according to Middle East Eye. Turkey and Oman halted incoming flights from private carrier Mahan Air, and the UAE stopped all flights by Iranian airlines. The UAE central bank blocked transactions to and from Iran by branches of Iran’s Bank Melli. The U.S. Department of the Treasury said it sanctioned 36 targets for supporting Iran’s aviation sector, which the regime uses to move weapons, personnel and illicit cargo.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were among the delegations that stayed in their seats during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the 81st United Nations (UN) General Assembly, as dozens of delegations walked out, Anadolu Agency reports. Emirati influencers publicly celebrated the country’s decision to remain in the hall, Middle East Eye reports.

The United Arab Emirates barred Iranian airlines under pressure from United States (US) sanctions on Iran's aviation sector, according to Al Jazeera. The move follows Operation Economic Outcast, in which the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 36 targets tied to the sector on September 8.