WASHINGTON, D.C U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would face a severe military response if investigators establish that Tehran was involved in an attack aboard a FlyDubai passenger aircraft travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel.
Trump issued the warning on Thursday, October 1, 2026, as investigators continued examining an incident in which a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the aircraft’s captain, forcing the plane into a dangerous descent before passengers and other crew members intervened.
Asked at the White House whether Iran was connected to the incident, Trump said the United States was investigating the possibility.
“I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now,” he told reporters, without providing evidence to support the suspicion.
Asked whether Washington would retaliate if Iran were found responsible, Trump responded: “Oh they’ll be hit, very hard, don’t worry.”
However, Iranian involvement has not been established, and investigators are examining several possible explanations for the incident.
Investigators examine possible motives
The aircraft was carrying 182 people, mostly Israeli passengers, on a flight from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred.
According to accounts from passengers and officials, the co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, causing the aircraft to descend sharply. Passengers helped the injured captain regain access to the cockpit and restrained the suspect while other crew members worked to stabilise the aircraft.
The plane eventually landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The captain was later reported to be recovering in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
A regional official briefed on the investigation said the suspect, an Omani citizen, had been arrested. Authorities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, the United States and Israel were involved in efforts to establish the motive.
“All possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into. Nothing is ruled out for now,” the official said.
The suspect has not been publicly identified, and the weapon allegedly used in the attack has not been confirmed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the co-pilot had undergone Islamist indoctrination, but his office declined to provide further details when asked about the basis for the allegation.
Netanyahu also told Fox News that it was too early to determine whether Iran had been involved.
The UAE has launched its own investigation to determine whether the incident had a terrorist motive, noting that the aircraft was registered in the country and that Emirati law applied to crimes committed on board.
