Prof. Eytan Gilboa is cautioning against drawing premature conclusions about Iranian involvement in the attempted attack aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, warning that public declarations blaming Tehran could create expectations for an Israeli or American military response before investigators have established who was behind the plot.

Gilboa made the comments after President Donald Trump publicly said he personally believes Iran was responsible for the attempted attack aboard the Israel-bound flight. Investigators have not publicly announced evidence establishing an Iranian role, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has said it remains too early to determine whether Tehran was involved.

Trump initially said that, based on what he was hearing, he believed there could be an Iranian connection. Asked whether the United States would retaliate if Iran was found responsible, Trump warned that Tehran would be “hit very hard.” He subsequently went further, saying that he personally believes Iran was behind the attack.

Speaking with Avi Mimran, Gilboa warned that statements of that nature carry consequences beyond simply identifying a possible suspect.

“The moment you say that Iran is involved, it means that Israel has to act against Iran. So he doesn’t always think two steps ahead or three steps ahead, and it’s not good that he does this,” Gilboa said.

Gilboa also discussed the attention the attempted attack has received in the United States, saying the incident immediately evoked memories of the Sept. 11 attacks, particularly United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the terrorists who had hijacked the aircraft.

The comparison, he said, reflects the extent to which the attempted attack on the Flydubai flight is being viewed as a threat with implications extending well beyond Israel.

Gilboa also addressed concerns about foreign interference in Israel’s upcoming election. He noted that countries including Russia, Iran, China and North Korea have previously been accused of trying to influence political processes in other countries through online operations, disinformation and other methods.

At the same time, Gilboa stressed that he has no information at present that would allow him to determine whether foreign governments are currently attempting to interfere in Israel’s election or what methods they might be using.

He said Trump appears reluctant to become overly involved in Israeli electoral politics and argued that both Israel and the United States should refrain from intervening in each other’s domestic political affairs.

Gilboa also addressed the escalating fighting in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is backing a major campaign against the Houthis aimed at restoring areas surrounding the strategically critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait to the control of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Forces aligned with the Yemeni government and backed by Saudi Arabia have launched a broad offensive in the area amid heavy airstrikes against Houthi positions.

The discussion comes as the Flydubai incident continues to expose questions surrounding Israel’s procedures for screening foreign airline personnel.

During a Knesset discussion Tuesday, lawmakers were told that 1,240 airline crew members carrying passports from countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel have entered the country since the beginning of the year.

The revelation has added urgency to efforts to overhaul the screening process following the Flydubai attack, with Israeli officials now moving toward requiring flight crews from designated high-risk countries to submit their information for security vetting 48 hours before operating flights to Israel.

{Matzav.com}