Trump: According to what I hear.. Iran may be involved in the attempt to down a Flydubai plane

Washington - Afaq News - U.S. President Donald Trump said today, Thursday, that Iran may be linked to the attempted downing of a Fly Dubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, in the latest development regarding the investigation into the incident that nearly ended in an aviation disaster.

In response to a question about the possibility of Tehran's involvement in the incident, Trump said, according to Israeli and American media: "From what I hear, I say yes, but we are investigating the matter now."

Trump issued a warning to Iran, stating that if its involvement is proven, it will be "struck very hard," and he warned that Iran-linked factions would face the same fate.

Trump's statements come at a time when investigations are still ongoing regarding Fly Dubai flight FZ1073, after the Omani co-pilot attacked the captain inside the cockpit, causing the plane to descend sharply by about 14,000 feet in less than half a minute, before passengers and crew managed to subdue the attacker and the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot was subjected to what he described as "Islamic extremism," but emphasized that determining whether there is a connection to Iran requires further investigation. The UAE has also begun an investigation to determine whether the incident was linked to terrorism or was premeditated.