Report claims Israel plotted 'false flag' hijacking to implicate Iran

Iranian state-run broadcaster Press TV reported Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly devised a plan to stage a "false flag" hijacking of an Emirati passenger jet, aiming to attribute the incident to Iran and draw the United States into a new war against Tehran. The report cited an unnamed "well-informed regional source" who claimed the operation was finalized during a clandestine visit by Netanyahu to the United Arab Emirates three days before a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia.

Alleged motive and political context

The unnamed source said the objective was to entice US President Donald Trump into military action against Iran, according to the broadcast, and further alleged that senior Israeli military and intelligence officials accompanied the prime minister during discussions with Arab officials to craft an operation that could be pinned on Iran. The allegations also linked the purported scheme to Netanyahu's domestic political concerns, suggesting the Israeli leader hoped to bolster his coalition ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.

The flydubai emergency landing

The claims emerged following an emergency landing by flydubai flight FZ1073 in the Saudi city of Tabuk on Wednesday. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport after what the airline described as "an altercation occurred in the flight deck." Saudi airport authorities reported that both the captain and first officer sustained injuries and were transported to a hospital, though all passengers and crew remained safe.

Investigations and official silence

Saudi Arabia's National Transport Safety Center has opened a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the diversion. Flydubai announced the temporary suspension of all flights to and from Israel pending the investigation's conclusion, stating the measure would enable authorities to "establish all the facts surrounding the incident." Press TV did not identify its source or provide evidence to substantiate the allegations, and Israeli, Emirati and US officials offered no immediate comment on the report.