The investigation into the attack on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv has classified the assault perpetrated by the co-pilot, who injured the pilot with an emergency axe from the cockpit, as a "terrorist act," an Emirati state media outlet reported Saturday, citing the attorney general.

The plane, which was flying from the Emirates to Israel and carrying mostly Israeli passengers, had to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Investigations conducted by Emirati authorities revealed that the co-pilot "had begun to carry out a terrorist act," said Emirati Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, quoted by the official news agency WAM.

He specified that the suspect "attacked the captain in the cockpit using the emergency axe" from the cockpit, and attempted "to take control of the aircraft".

The investigation is continuing "in order to establish all the circumstances of the incident and its motives," he said.

He did not reveal the nationality of the co-pilot, who is in detention in the United Arab Emirates, although a Saudi source told AFP that he was Omani.

According to several international media outlets, the co-pilot, named Hammam Hammami, had been banned from piloting planes for security reasons by the Omani authorities, who believed he had been influenced by radical Islamist groups during a stay in Syria.

According to these same media outlets, he joined flydubai after leaving his employer Oman Air and unsuccessfully applying to Emirates.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that he had "undergone radical Islamist indoctrination" and "intended to crash the plane with its passengers."

- "My last chance" -

The pilot of the plane, Indian Smit Machchhar, hailed from all sides as a "hero", recounted how, wounded, he had unlocked, in a last effort, the cockpit door, thus thwarting the attack.

"I was trying to save my own life, but I knew I couldn't let all those people die," he explained from his hospital bed during a call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose office relayed the footage.

"I knew it was my last chance and the door was right there," said the pilot, who has 17 years of experience, including 11 as a captain. "I was still taking hits, but I just opened the door and everyone got in."

The co-pilot assaulted him after he asked for a moment to pray, he detailed during a telephone conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, the video of which was relayed by the Prime Minister's office.

Many people in the area "were saying their prayers. There was nothing unusual about it. While he was praying, out of respect, I was simply looking forward," but suddenly, "I felt a heavy blow to the back of my head," he recounted.

"My first thought was that there was catastrophic damage to the device (...) But then the blows continued to follow one after another" and "that's when I understood."

While acknowledging that his memories were not entirely clear, he stated that he had the impression the co-pilot had managed to close the cockpit door once. "That's when I gave it my all. I mustered everything I had, I rushed towards the door, I opened it, and luckily, people were waiting."

Passengers and crew members then subdued the assailant and regained control of the aircraft, which was able to make an emergency landing.

Hailing the pilot as a "hero for the whole world," Mr. Netanyahu invited him to come to Israel as an honored guest.

On his X account, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, shared a photo of himself with the hospitalized pilot. "He has our deepest gratitude," he wrote.

On Saturday, the first Israeli flight from the Emirates since the attack arrived in Tel Aviv, according to the Ben Gurion airport website.

This flight was operated by the Israeli low-cost airline Arkia and landed at approximately 01:10 local time.

Following the attack, flydubai suspended its service and on Friday, the Israeli company El Al cancelled the special flights planned to bring back Israelis stranded in Dubai.