US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would be hit “very hard” if investigators establish that Tehran was involved in an attack aboard a Flydubai passenger aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Trump issued the warning on Thursday while responding to reporters at the White House about the incident, saying Iran was potentially involved based on information he was receiving.
The incident occurred on Wednesday aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying more than 170 people.
An Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the Indian captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene and restrain the attacker.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The co-pilot remains under arrest, while authorities from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Oman and the United States are involved in investigations into the incident.
The motive has not been established.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination, but he also acknowledged that it was too early to determine whether Iran was involved.
The UAE has opened its own investigation, including whether the incident had any terrorist connection.
Trump’s warning therefore comes before investigators have publicly established an Iranian link to the attack.
His remarks came as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high following months of conflict.
In an interview with TIME published Thursday, Trump said renewed US bombing of Iran after the November 3 midterm elections was “possible.”
He also repeated a previous threat to “annihilate” Iran, arguing that the US military campaign was aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump said Washington had rejected an Iranian ceasefire proposal because it did not go far enough and indicated that the United States was seeking broader terms.
The US is also preparing to increase its military presence in the Middle East.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States plans to send a third aircraft carrier strike group and up to 10,000 additional service members to the region by late November.
The reported deployment comes as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain elevated, with the strategic waterway central to the wider confrontation.
For now, the investigation into the Flydubai incident remains ongoing and there is no publicly established evidence that Iran directed or supported the attack.
Trump’s warning has nevertheless raised the stakes, particularly as Washington considers its next steps in the broader confrontation with Tehran.
