A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv with over 150 passengers made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after issuing a distress signal. The plane experienced an incident and dropped nearly 20,000 feet in minutes before stabilizing, according to Flydubai and flight trackers. It issued a rare 'unlawful interference' code (7500), often associated with hijacking, before diverting to Tabuk and landing safely.

Israeli media reported possible pilot conflict, with witnesses stating one pilot appeared stabbed and passengers entering the cockpit to help. Bloodstained shirts were observed. Israeli authorities investigated as a potential terror attack, placing airports on alert.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu monitored the situation, and fighter jets were scrambled. Later, a second Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted back to Dubai. Israel and Saudi Arabia lack official diplomatic ties, though Israeli overflights were approved in 2020.

Netanyahu had recently visited UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan to strengthen ties under the Abraham Accords, which normalized UAE-Israel relations in 2020 via US mediation under President Donald Trump. Over two dozen daily flights operate between the countries despite regional conflict since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.