Trump Threatens Iran With Heavy Strike If Linked To Flydubai Attack
US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran will be “hit very hard” if it is found to be linked to the attempted crashing of Flydubai flight FZ1073 to Israel.
Trump gave the warning on Thursday at the White House, a day after the dramatic mid-air attack that saw passengers help stop the plane from crashing.
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying mostly Israeli passengers, was forced into an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, and tried to crash the aircraft. Passengers were later flown home to a hero’s welcome.
Asked if Iran was involved in what happened on the flight, Trump told reporters: “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now.”
On whether the United States would retaliate if Iran was found responsible, he replied: “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry.”
Trump’s threat came as the United Arab Emirates opened an investigation into whether the incident was linked to terrorism. The UAE chief prosecutor said investigators would explore whether there had been “terrorist activity or intent.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect, identified as an Omani national, had undergone “Radical indoctrination.”
“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu told Fox & Friends, without elaborating. He added that during the struggle, the attacker shouted “Kill me, kill me” — making it clear he was suicidal.
Saudi Arabia said the co-pilot was transferred to the UAE on Thursday accompanied by an “Emirati security team”, adding that its initial investigation showed he had attacked the aircraft’s captain.
The assault triggered a struggle for control before the plane suddenly plummeted, losing around 17,000 feet of altitude in one minute according to Flightradar24, before another on-duty Flydubai crew travelling on the flight took over and landed the aircraft safely at Tabuk.
Netanyahu said the UAE would lead the investigation while Israel would participate, and Israel would check how the co-pilot was cleared to work on flights to the country. “We have constraints that say that you can’t have pilots from countries that don’t have diplomatic relations with Israel. Obviously he was able to go through that,” he said.
Israeli officials have called it an attempted terrorist attack, though Netanyahu had earlier not ruled out mental health issues.
Netanyahu praised Captain Machchhar “for his extraordinary bravery.” The Indian Ambassador to the UAE visited the wounded captain, with the embassy saying he was in good health and recovering well. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a “HERO.”
Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon said the aircraft was “pretty much out of control” over Jordan. “The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane. It was really on the way to crashing,” she said.
Trump’s warning coincided with a wider US military buildup. Axios reported Washington had deployed additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to protect energy facilities, and that the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its strike group were heading to the Middle East to join two other carrier strike groups already in the region.
Flydubai said it is suspending flights to Israel while investigation continues. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he would honour five Israelis who helped overpower the co-pilot and prevent the crash.
