Israeli investigators have concluded that the co-pilot who launched a midair assault aboard a FlyDubai passenger jet intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion International Airport, according to a person familiar with the ongoing probe who was not authorized to speak publicly and who spoke to NPR.
The finding, reported Monday, marks a significant development in the investigation of last week's attack, which unfolded aboard a flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot attacked the plane's captain with an axe midflight before attempting to seize control of the aircraft, according to the source.
The plane had been on a routine route between the two cities and was scheduled to land at Ben Gurion during a busy midmorning weekday window. That timing, combined with the attacker's apparent intentions, has raised serious questions about aviation security protocols on commercial routes entering Israel.
The source told NPR that the co-pilot's goal was to crash the jet into the airport, though the motive behind the attack itself remains unclear. Investigators have not publicly identified a specific cause or affiliation driving the co-pilot's actions.
A passenger onboard the flight described the chaotic scene to reporters on the ground in Israel. Video captured at Ben Gurion Airport in the days following the incident showed a traveler raising his arms in relief as he walked through the domestic arrivals doors with his dog and luggage. The same footage was taken after a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia following what authorities described as a violent altercation in the cockpit.
The attack, which appears to have been carried out by a member of the flight crew rather than an outside assailant, has shaken confidence in the layered security measures that typically protect commercial aviation. Crew members undergo background checks and vetting before being allowed into the cockpit, making an insider threat particularly difficult to detect and prevent.
Ben Gurion International Airport, located near the city of Lod, is Israel's primary international gateway and handles a high volume of traffic from carriers around the world. An Israeli airline El Al aircraft was photographed parked on the tarmac at the airport on October 2, 2026, just days before the investigation's findings were made public. The image has since been widely circulated as a symbol of the airport's central role in the story.
The flight's diversion to Saudi Arabia after the cockpit altercation adds a further layer of complexity to the case. Saudi Arabia and Israel have no formal diplomatic relations, making the emergency landing a notable event in itself and one that required rapid coordination between authorities in multiple countries.
Aviation security experts note that attacks originating from within a cockpit crew are among the most challenging threats to detect, because crew members are typically granted a level of trust and access that outside passengers are not. The fact that a captain was attacked with an axe, a weapon that could be smuggled into a secure area, has prompted questions about screening procedures for airline employees.
The investigation is being conducted by authorities with knowledge of the flight's final moments, the cockpit communications, and the physical evidence recovered from the aircraft. Details about how the co-pilot managed to bring a weapon aboard and whether any warning signs were missed have not been fully disclosed.
The source who spoke to NPR emphasized that the inquiry remains ongoing and that additional information could emerge as investigators continue to piece together the events. No formal charging decisions or public conclusions beyond the intended destination of the crash have been announced.
For passengers and crew who were aboard the flight, the incident has been a harrowing ordeal. The image of a traveler embracing their dog upon arrival underscores the human dimension of an event that could have ended in mass casualties had the co-pilot succeeded in redirecting the plane into the airport terminal or runway areas.
The broader implications for regional aviation security are significant. Flights connecting Gulf states with Israel have expanded in recent years, and the attack raises questions about whether existing security agreements and shared screening standards are adequate to address insider threats on these routes.
Investigators have not released the name of the co-pilot or detailed what, if anything, was known about his background prior to the flight. The lack of a confirmed motive has left authorities and aviation officials searching for answers about why a crew member would attempt to turn a commercial airliner into a weapon.
The case also highlights the vulnerability of airports as targets, even when aircraft themselves are secured. Ben Gurion has long been regarded as one of the most heavily guarded airports in the world, yet the intended target was the airport itself, approached from the air by a plane that had already departed from a neighboring country.
As the investigation continues, officials are expected to review cockpit security procedures, employee vetting processes, and international coordination protocols for flights crossing between jurisdictions with limited diplomatic ties. The findings announced this week represent an important milestone, but many questions about the attack and its origins remain unanswered.
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