Date: October 2, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would face severe consequences if Tehran is found to have been behind the attack on a Flydubai co-pilot who allegedly tried to bring down an Israel-bound passenger aircraft after stabbing the captain.
Trump made the warning Thursday as investigators continued examining the circumstances surrounding Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was carrying 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit. The aircraft plunged thousands of feet before passengers and other crew members intervened and helped bring it under control.
Asked by reporters at the White House whether he had received information linking the attacker to Iran, Trump said he believed there could be a connection but did not provide evidence.
“I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said.
When asked whether the United States would retaliate against Iran if Tehran were determined to be responsible, Trump responded: “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry.”
Trump did not explain what information had led him to suspect an Iranian connection, and investigators have not publicly established that Iran directed, sponsored or otherwise participated in the attack. Authorities from several countries remain involved in determining the motive.
The incident unfolded Wednesday while the Boeing 737 was flying at high altitude over Saudi Arabia. The co-pilot, identified by officials as an Omani national, allegedly stabbed Machchhar before the aircraft began a dramatic descent. Flight-tracking data showed the plane losing more than 16,000 feet in a matter of seconds during the crisis.
Machchhar, despite being injured, managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers then entered the cockpit and helped restrain the co-pilot. A reserve crew traveling aboard the aircraft subsequently took control and guided the plane to an emergency landing at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. No passengers were killed.
The incident generated a series of emergency signals from the aircraft, including the internationally recognized 7700 emergency code and the 7500 code indicating unlawful interference. Those signals, combined with the aircraft's erratic flight path, indicated the seriousness of the situation as the crew struggled to regain control.
The investigation remains open, and authorities have not settled on a motive. A regional official briefed on the investigation said investigators were considering multiple possibilities, including terrorism and mental-health-related explanations, and that no scenario had been ruled out. The official spoke anonymously because the investigation is ongoing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has separately said the attacker underwent what he described as Islamist radical indoctrination. Netanyahu has not publicly provided evidence supporting that assessment. When asked who may have radicalized the suspect, he said he did not know. His office declined to provide further details when asked how the assessment had been reached.
Netanyahu has also said Israel is investigating whether the attacker was sent by another party. On Friday, he said that if another power was found to have been responsible, that party would face what he called a “very heavy price.” He did not identify Iran or any other country as having been established as responsible.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Oman and the United States are involved in various aspects of the investigation. Saudi authorities initially detained the co-pilot after the aircraft landed in Tabuk, while investigators worked to establish what happened aboard the plane and why the attack occurred.
The UAE has launched its own investigation because the aircraft is registered in the country and UAE law applies to crimes committed aboard its aircraft. Officials are examining whether the incident had any terrorist purpose.
The episode has added another layer of tension to an already volatile relationship between Washington and Tehran. The United States and Iran remain involved in a broader conflict, while diplomatic efforts concerning the war and the Strait of Hormuz have continued amid military tensions.
Trump's warning came as the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Middle East. Any determination that Iran was directly responsible for an attack on a civilian aircraft could therefore have major consequences, but no such determination has been publicly made.
The circumstances have also raised questions about aviation security and the risks posed by threats originating inside an aircraft rather than from passengers or outside attackers. The Flydubai incident involved a member of the flight crew, forcing passengers and other personnel to intervene after the captain was attacked.
Flydubai has suspended flights between Dubai and Israel following the incident while investigations continue. The airline said the aircraft was secured by crew members who diverted and landed it safely, but it has not publicly released all details surrounding the cockpit confrontation.
For now, the central question remains whether the attack was an isolated act by the co-pilot or part of a broader plot. Investigators have not publicly established an Iranian role, and officials continue to examine the suspect's background, possible motive and any communications or relationships that could explain his actions.
Trump's threat of retaliation therefore remains conditional on an investigation that has yet to establish responsibility. Any future U.S. action would depend on what investigators determine about the attack and whether credible evidence connects Tehran to the incident.