Flydubai Stabbing Probe Opens

Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed captain Smit Machchhar on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying about 174 people. The attack sent the Boeing 737 into a steep plunge before an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The route has expanded since Israel and the UAE normalized relations in 2020, making the scare a security concern beyond aviation. Machchhar unlocked the cockpit despite severe injuries, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot was radicalized, but investigators have not established a motive. Probes are open in multiple countries, with terrorism, mental illness and accomplices still under review.