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According to a Saudi source who spoke to AFP, the kingdom turned down several Israeli requests to send planes to retrieve passengers from the diverted flydubai flight. Israel first asked to dispatch two or three military warplanes directly to Tabuk airport, a request that was rejected outright. The Israelis then proposed sending a commercial El Al flight, which was also denied, with the response relayed via the United Arab Emirates.
Reuters reported that two security sources confirmed the rejection of the Israeli request to allow its planes to bring back passengers from Saudi Arabia, which maintains no diplomatic relations with Israel. The Israeli air force had been readying Super Hercules transport aircraft for the mission, one of the sources indicated. Saudi Arabia’s government media office did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The emergency landing in Tabuk occurred on September 30 after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the pilot in an attempt to crash the plane, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated. Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, allowing reserve pilots on board to regain control and land safely. All travelers later continued to Tel Aviv aboard a replacement flydubai aircraft, the airline said.
The Saudi source emphasised that the kingdom would have provided identical assistance irrespective of the passengers’ nationalities and had met its international obligations in the matter. A source close to the Saudi royal court told i24NEWS that the episode should make clear to Israel that normalisation cannot be forced. Saudi Arabia has resisted US-backed efforts to join the Abraham Accords without a pathway to Palestinian statehood, Reuters noted.
The incident has highlighted ongoing sensitivities in regional aviation protocols between states without formal ties. Israeli officials expressed surprise at the Saudi position after anticipating possible approval for a retrieval operation. Passengers described receiving medical support, food and warm hospitality upon landing in Tabuk before their onward journey.
A similar flydubai flight made an emergency landing in Riyadh in September 2025 due to a medical issue, according to Israeli media reports cited by Reuters. The latest event prompted Israel to order enhanced checks on pilots flying into the country. The co-pilot has been arrested by Saudi authorities for interrogation, Netanyahu’s office said.
