Israel could declare war if investigations determine that a foreign state was behind the attempted downing or hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ 1073, according to the Israeli newspaper Maariv.
The newspaper said such a finding would carry serious consequences and could compel Israel to respond militarily against the state involved.
“If a plane is brought down, if there is an attempt to bring it down, or if it is hijacked, Israel is required to use force. This is grounds for declaring war. Therefore, every statement at this stage must be carefully considered,” the newspaper said.
The warning comes as the circumstances and motives behind the incident remain under investigation. Flydubai has said the motive remains subject to a formal inquiry, while Israeli officials have publicly described the incident as a suspected attack.
Israeli Security System Went Into Emergency Mode
According to Maariv, Israel’s entire security establishment entered an emergency posture within seconds of the aircraft disappearing from radar.
The newspaper said Israeli Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir has spent the past two years pushing the military to prepare for what it calls a “surprise war”, seeking to instil the understanding that the security environment could change dramatically at any moment and in any location.
The Israeli Air Force reportedly responded immediately, sending two fighter jets armed with air-to-air missiles towards flight FZ 1073.
The situation remained tense for several minutes before the aircraft eventually landed in Saudi Arabia.
Independent reporting has confirmed that Israeli fighter jets were scrambled after the emergency signal was received and that the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport.
Mossad Investigating Motive and Possible External Links
Maariv said Mossad is handling the investigation from the Israeli side, with several central questions still unresolved.
Investigators are reportedly examining the motive behind the incident, whether the person involved intended to crash the aircraft or divert it to another country, and whether he acted alone or was sent by a state or an organisation.
The newspaper said Mossad and the Shin Bet are still trying to establish whether any outside party was involved.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, however, issued a statement before those investigations had reached an initial conclusion.
“The serious incident aboard the Flydubai aircraft was an attempted jihadist attack, which was thwarted only thanks to the heroism of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit,” Katz said.
Katz’s characterisation was an Israeli government assessment rather than a finding established by the ongoing investigation. Flydubai has not publicly confirmed such a motive.
Maariv Warns Against Premature Statements
Maariv criticised the timing of public statements from Israeli ministers, saying they were issued before Mossad and the Shin Bet had reached even a preliminary assessment regarding who, if anyone, stood behind the incident.
The newspaper argued that such declarations could have far-reaching diplomatic consequences.
According to Maariv, Mossad must now proceed cautiously in its dealings with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries while attempting to build a complete picture of what happened.
The newspaper stressed that Israel’s relations with the UAE are strategically important, particularly during periods of confrontation with Iran.
It therefore warned that Israel should not handle the matter aggressively or unprofessionally, but should seek to preserve relations not only with Abu Dhabi but with other Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia.
“Statements by Regev and Katz could undermine that objective this time,” the newspaper said.
The central concern raised by Maariv is that if evidence eventually points to the involvement of a foreign government, what is currently an unresolved aviation and security investigation could become a far more serious interstate confrontation.
