President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that Iran may be responsible for an attack aboard a commercial jet en route to Israel, though he provided no supporting details.
"I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now," Trump told reporters when asked about Iran's potential involvement.
This statement follows a mid-air incident on a FlyDubai flight where a copilot reportedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane over Saudi Arabia. Crew members and passengers subdued the attacker, and the aircraft was landed safely despite a significant loss of altitude. The plane plummeted from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in approximately one minute.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacker is an Omani national currently being interrogated in Saudi Arabia. The captain, Smit Machchhar, is recovering in Abu Dhabi, according to the Indian government. Netanyahu credited the captain with saving 174 lives by fighting back and preventing the attacker from fully entering the cockpit.
Passengers also played a role in subduing the assailant. Tzvika Manes recounted to The New York Times that he entered the cockpit after hearing his daughter's distress, alongside another passenger and an off-duty pilot. Crew members who were pilots in training managed to land the plane, which had lost its rudder during the descent.
While the attacker's motive remains unclear, Netanyahu indicated on Wednesday that the individual "underwent Islamist radical indoctrination." Trump, who has previously initiated military action against Iran without congressional approval, appeared to link the incident to potential further strikes. "Oh, they'll be hit, very hard, don't worry," Trump said when asked if Iran would be targeted in response, adding, "You just ask them. They know what happened. They'll be hit very hard."