US President Donald Trump said that Iran may be linked to the attack on the co-pilot of a Flydubai plane, which, according to Israeli authorities, attempted to crash the plane during a flight to Israel. However, the US president did not present evidence of such a connection, and the investigation is ongoing, BTA reports.
The incident occurred on board flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The Omani co-pilot attacked the captain, after which the plane began a sharp descent. Passengers and crew members were able to control the situation, and the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
When asked if he had received information about a possible connection between the attacker and Tehran, Trump said that US authorities were working on the matter. "I would say that from what I'm hearing, the answer is yes," the president said, stressing that the investigation was still ongoing.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that it was too early to say whether Iran was involved in the case. He indicated that authorities must first establish the attacker's motives and whether he acted alone or had accomplices.
The UAE has also launched an investigation that should establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, the motives of the co-pilot and whether there was prior planning or external guidance. Israeli officials said their services were also involved in the investigation.
When asked how the United States would respond if Iran's involvement was proven, Trump said Tehran would be "hit very hard."
However, there has been no publicly available evidence to support an Iranian connection. The underlying motive for the attack and its possible organizers remain the subject of an international investigation.