Air force says radar systems keeping an eye out for any drone activity coming from Syria, Iraq; army on high alert
Jordan shot down dozens of Iranian drones heading to Israel. The Jordanian air force shot down and intercepted dozens of Iranian drones that had breached its airspace and were en route to Israel, according to two regional security sources.
They said that radar systems were keeping an eye out for any drone activity coming from the direction of Syria and Iraq, and that the army was also on high alert.
People heard a lot of aircraft activity in a number of cities in the north of the country, close to Syria, as well as in the central and southern regions.
Several downed drones were spotted in neighbourhoods south of Amman, the capital, which is 60 km (37 miles) from Jerusalem.
Locals congregated near the remains of a single, possibly large, drone that crashed in a business district of the Marj al Hamam suburb of the city.
The air force was reportedly stepping up its reconnaissance flights, according to a security source.
In an earlier statement to Reuters, Jordan said that it would shut down its airspace to all arriving, departing, and transiting aircraft as a precaution against an Iranian strike across its border.
Jordan’s government spokesperson Muhannad Mubaideen stated, “The relevant authorities took the decision to close the airspace for precautionary reasons as a result of the surrounding security situation.”
According to Mubaideen, there is no reason for its citizens to be concerned, refuting reports in the media that the kingdom has declared a state of emergency.
Jordan shares borders with Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as well as Syria and Iraq, two nations that are home to Iranian proxy forces.
Fearful of being caught in the crossfire, it has watched Israel’s war against Hamas, another Iranian ally, with growing concern.
To strengthen its border defences, Amman requested late last year that Washington send Patriot air defence systems to Jordan.
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According to officials, the Pentagon has since expanded its military assistance to the kingdom, a significant regional ally where hundreds of American troops are stationed and engage in annual army drills.
Drone attacks on American troops in northeastern Jordan, close to the Syrian border, in January claimed the lives of three U.S. service members and injured numerous others. The militants were backed by Iran.
It was a significant increase in the tensions that have engulfed the Middle East, and the first lethal attack against American forces since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in October.
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