Washington, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would be hit “very hard” if Tehran is found to be behind the attack aboard a Flydubai passenger aircraft, while indicating that US officials were still investigating a possible Iranian connection.
Speaking to reporters before leaving the White House for Texas on Thursday, Trump was asked whether he had been briefed on a possible link between the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and Iran.
“We’re working on it right now. They’re being very open with us. I would say the answer based on what I’m hearing is yes, but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said.
Asked whether the co-pilot could have been placed aboard the aircraft by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or radicalised in another way, Trump said: “It could have been, yeah.”
Trump did not provide evidence for an Iranian connection and said the matter remained under investigation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also said investigators were still determining the motive and whether the incident had links to terrorism.
When asked whether the US would retaliate against Iran if Tehran was found to have been behind the incident, Trump replied: “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard. Don’t worry. You just ask them. They know what happened. They’ll be hit very hard.”
The Flydubai incident involved Flight FZ1073 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain in the cockpit, after which the aircraft was diverted and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers and other crew members intervened, helping prevent the aircraft from crashing. Investigations into the incident and the co-pilot’s motive are continuing.
Trump also made broader remarks about Iran’s economy and military capabilities, saying the country had suffered severe economic damage and claiming that the US controlled the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the US military had performed strongly during the conflict and that Iran would have to agree to what he described as a “very fair deal” or face further consequences.
Trump reiterated his position that Iran would not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
“They cannot have nuclear weapons and they won’t have, and they’re agreeing not to have,” he said.
The President’s comments came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and as investigations continued into the Flydubai cockpit attack. There was no publicly established evidence as of Thursday proving Iranian involvement in the incident.
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