iving." Israel's Kan public broadcaster and Channel 12 reported that the Israeli military had scrambled fighter jets after fears of a possible hijacking. In a video from inside the plane, one passenger – blood dripping from an open wound on his head – pleaded for assistance and said they were descending into Saudi Arabia. Israel has no formal ties with the Gulf kingdom, but Italie said the group received a "very warm" welcome there. The incident comes months into a regional war that erupted in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. It also comes just ahead of Israeli elections due to be held at the end of October. On Tuesday, Netanyahu said there were "indications" that Israel's enemies could try to attack ahead of elections, and was accused of "fear-mongering" by the opposition chief. (AFP) Edited by Robert Kemp

2026-10-01 06:30:00