Czech, Slovak planes evacuate 139 people from Israel

The mother of one of the victims of an Iranian missile attack which destroyed a three-storey building in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Tamra, is comforted during a funeral in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Tamra, on June 17, 2025. [AFP]

The Czech Republic and Slovakia have taken 139 people home on government planes from Israel because it conflicted with Iran, authorities said on Tuesday.

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

Israel closed its airspace last Friday after conducting strikes on Iran.

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

The defence ministry said most of the 66 evacuees were Czech nationals.

"It was not possible to send the army plane straight to Israel," the ministry said in a statement, citing the air-space closure.

"The evacuees were taken to the airport in the neighbouring country by buses. They crossed the border on foot."

Czech media said a convoy with the evacuees had left Tel Aviv on Monday 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 on Monday before 1700 GMT, said Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar.

Slovakia is sending another plane on Tuesday and then on Wednesday, with both expected to bring back Slovaks and foreigners.

Israel began bombarding Iran since Friday, saying it aims to prevent its sworn enemy from acquiring a nuclear weapon -- a goal Tehran denies pursuing.

The Israeli attacks have killed at least 224 people and wounded more than 1,000, according to an official toll released Sunday.

In retaliation, Iran has carried out multiple attacks that have killed at least 24 people in Israel since Friday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.