WASHINGTON, United States – President Donald Trump warned Thursday that Iran would face a severe U.S. response if investigators establish that Tehran was connected to the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight bound for Israel.
Trump said he believed there could be an Iranian connection, but he did not provide evidence or explain the basis for his assessment.
Asked by reporters whether the co-pilot was linked to Iran, Trump said, “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now.”
When asked whether the United States would retaliate if Iran were found responsible, Trump said Iran would be hit “very hard.”
The comments came while investigators were still trying to establish why the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and caused the aircraft to enter a steep descent before passengers and crew intervened.
Trump raises Iran connection without presenting evidence
Trump’s comments went beyond the public position expressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu said there was not yet enough information to determine whether Iran was involved. Reuters reported that two Israeli security officials said Israel had not identified Iranian involvement at that stage.
Trump was asked whether the co-pilot could have been placed on the flight by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or radicalized through another channel.
“Could’ve been, yeah,” Trump replied, according to CBS News.
Trump did not identify an intelligence assessment, investigative finding or other evidence supporting the possible Iranian connection.
His remarks therefore represent a presidential assertion about a possibility under investigation, rather than a publicly established finding that Iran directed or supported the attack.
Investigation has not established a motive
The alleged attack occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 as it traveled from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, causing the aircraft to descend sharply. Machchhar was able to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and help subdue the attacker.
A reserve crew subsequently took control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. More than 170 people were aboard.
The suspect, identified by Israeli authorities as an Omani national, was taken into custody.
Saudi, Emirati and Israeli authorities are involved in the investigation. The UAE has said investigators are examining whether the incident involved terrorist activity, prior planning or outside direction.
No final determination about the suspect’s motive has been publicly announced.
Netanyahu cites radicalization but stops short of blaming Iran
Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli authorities had information indicating that the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination.
He said the assessment was based on information from the suspect’s personal background, but he did not publicly provide details supporting the claim. Reuters reported that Netanyahu also described the attacker as apparently suicidal and said the investigation had not reached final conclusions.
When asked specifically about Iran, however, Netanyahu said it was too early to say whether Tehran was involved.
That leaves two separate questions in the investigation: what motivated the co-pilot and whether anyone outside the aircraft directed, assisted or influenced the attack.
Neither question has been conclusively answered.
U.S. warning comes as military tensions remain high
Trump’s warning comes amid an already heightened U.S.-Iran confrontation.
The United States is simultaneously moving approximately 9,000 additional sailors and Marines toward the Middle East, a deployment that could result in three U.S. aircraft carriers operating in the region by late October. Trump has also left open the possibility of renewed U.S. bombing of Iran after the Nov. 3 U.S. election.
The military deployment and the Flydubai investigation are separate developments.
There is currently no publicly established evidence linking the movement of U.S. forces to the Flydubai incident.
A confirmed finding of Iranian involvement in an attack on an Israel-bound civilian aircraft could nevertheless significantly affect the already tense relationship between Washington and Tehran.
Attack investigation continues across several countries
The investigation spans several jurisdictions because the aircraft was operated by Flydubai, registered in the United Arab Emirates, traveling from Dubai to Israel and diverted to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities conducted an initial investigation after the emergency landing in Tabuk. The UAE has also opened its own investigation, while Israeli security officials are seeking to participate in questioning the suspect.
The suspect was subsequently transferred to the UAE, according to Reuters.
Authorities are examining the circumstances of the cockpit attack, the suspect’s background and whether he acted alone.
The aircraft attack itself is established; Iranian involvement is not
The confirmed sequence is that a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during Flight FZ1073, the aircraft experienced a severe descent, passengers entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker, and a reserve crew landed the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia.
The captain survived and was receiving medical treatment.
What remains unresolved is the motive for the attack and whether anyone outside the aircraft was involved.
Trump has now publicly raised Iran as a possible connection and threatened a severe U.S. response if that connection is established.
But as of Thursday, Iranian responsibility had not been established by the investigation, and Trump had not announced that the United States had ordered military action against Iran over the incident.
Reporting Credit: White House; U.S. Department of Defense; UAE government and investigative authorities; Saudi authorities; Israeli government and security authorities; Flydubai.
