Czech, Slovak planes evacuate 139 people from Israel via Egypt, Jordan

The Czech Republic and Slovakia have taken 139 people home on government planes from Israel because of its conflict with Iran, authorities say.

A Czech government plane carrying 66 people landed in Prague this morning a day after a Slovak plane had taken 73 evacuees to Bratislava from Amman.

Israel closed its air space last Friday after conducting strikes on Iran.

“I am glad they are all OK. The transport was really demanding in the difficult environment,” Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova says about the Czech flight on social media site X.

The defense ministry says most of the 66 evacuees were Czech nationals.

“It was not possible to send the army plane straight to Israel,” the ministry says in a statement, citing the airspace closure. “The evacuees were taken to the airport in the neighboring country by buses. They crossed the border on foot.”

Czech media said a convoy with the evacuees had left Tel Aviv yesterday morning and boarded the plane in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.

A Slovak government plane with 73 passengers — mostly Slovaks, but also Poles, Czechs, Austrians, Slovenians and others — landed in Bratislava yesterday before 1700 GMT, said Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar.

Slovakia is sending another plane today and then tomorrow, with both expected to bring back Slovaks and foreigners.