TRUMP THREATENS TO HIT IRAN ‘VERY HARD’ IF LINKED TO FLYDUBAI ATTACK

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Agency report

US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would be “hit very hard” if it is found to have been involved in an alleged attack on a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The co-pilot of the aircraft allegedly assaulted the captain before passengers intervened and prevented the plane from crashing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the man had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination.”

Asked by reporters at the White House whether Iran was involved in the incident, Trump said, “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now.”

On whether the United States would retaliate against Iran if it was responsible for the attack, Trump replied, “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry.”

Trump’s warning came as he adopted a tougher tone over the stalled conflict with Iran.

In an interview with Time magazine published on Thursday, Trump said it was “possible” that he could resume bombing Iran after the US midterm elections next month.

“Yeah, I would do that. It’s possible,” Trump told Time. “Because by annihilating Iran, we’ve created peace in the world. With Iran, I don’t think you could ever have peace.”

Trump also reiterated the threat to “annihilate” Iran, which he made in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last week, despite previously portraying himself as the “president of peace.”

Iran continues to exert control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz more than seven months after the initial US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic. Trump has said the conflict is aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, the United States was set to deploy a third US aircraft carrier and up to 10,000 additional service members to the Middle East by the end of November, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It remained unclear whether the new carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, would replace one of the two carriers already deployed to the region.

Trump had told aides that he expected the bombing campaign to resume by late November, the Journal reported.