🛬 Flydubai flight emergency: A flydubai aircraft reportedly carrying more than 180 passengers landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia after emergency signals raised concerns about a possible hijacking. Israeli security sources said the incident apparently stemmed from a physical altercation between the pilots, with reports pointing to violence aboard rather than a security-related incident. Further details were not immediately available.
Flight-tracking data showed a general emergency signal, code 7700, followed, according to the reported sequence, by code 7500 for unlawful interference. Initial reports that contact had been lost were followed by a report that the aircraft had contacted Saudi authorities. Israeli security sources said Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled toward the aircraft. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held an assessment with senior commanders, and a security meeting involving the prime minister and defense minister concluded.
Later reporting identified the flight as traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, while an earlier account named Abu Dhabi as its departure airport. The airline had not confirmed whether the crew consisted of a Russian pilot and a Ukrainian co-pilot.
🗳️ Election-related security warnings and political dispute: The Prime Minister’s Office said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefed Opposition Leader Yair Lapid in detail on warnings of possible attacks on various fronts ahead of the elections.
Likud said Lapid left the meeting at 11:39 p.m. and published a lengthy statement at 11:41 p.m. that the party characterized as consisting entirely of a political attack on Netanyahu. Likud argued that the two-minute interval suggested the statement had been prepared in advance, regardless of the briefing Lapid received.
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