US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would face a “very hard” response if Tehran is found to have links to an alleged attack aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Israel.
Trump issued the warning on Thursday as investigators continued examining why the flight’s Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain, sending the aircraft into a steep descent before passengers and other crew members intervened.
Asked at the White House whether he had been briefed on possible links between the co-pilot and Iran, Trump said: “We’re working on it right now.”
He added that, based on what he had heard, he believed there could be a connection, but did not provide details or evidence supporting the suspicion.
Asked whether the US would retaliate against Tehran if Iran was found to be behind the incident, Trump said: “Oh they’ll be hit, very hard, don’t worry.”
The incident involved a Flydubai Boeing 737 Max 8 carrying 182 people, mostly Israelis, from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv. The aircraft descended from around 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute before passengers helped stabilise the aircraft and it eventually landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
A regional official briefed on the investigation said the suspect, an Omani national, had been arrested, while authorities from Saudi Arabia, Israel, the UAE, the US and Oman were involved in efforts to determine the motive.
“All possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into. Nothing is ruled out for now,” the official said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed the suspect had undergone Islamist indoctrination, although he did not provide details. When asked by The Associated Press how he knew this, Netanyahu’s office declined to comment.
Netanyahu also said it was too early to determine whether Iran was involved.
Israeli intelligence and security officials have joined the investigation in Saudi Arabia, while Israel has reportedly requested that the suspect be transferred to the country for questioning.
The UAE has also launched its own investigation into whether the incident was linked to terrorism, noting that the aircraft is registered in the UAE and that Emirati law applies to crimes committed on board.
Passengers have described a chaotic struggle in the cockpit after the captain was allegedly stabbed. One passenger said the bloodied captain managed to open the cockpit door before passengers entered and helped restrain the co-pilot.
The aircraft also transmitted emergency codes during the incident. According to Flightradar24, the cockpit sent “7700”, the standard emergency signal, followed by “7500”, which indicates unlawful interference such as a possible hijacking.
The captain, Capt Smit Machchhar, was later recovering in Abu Dhabi, according to the Indian government.
Trump’s warning comes as diplomatic efforts to end the seven-month conflict involving Iran appear to have stalled. Iranian officials said they had received an official US response to Tehran’s latest proposal to end the war, although the contents of the response remained unclear.
