A Jordanian soldier on the Syrian-Jordanian border (French-Archive)
The Jordanian army said on Monday that air defense radar systems detected suspicious air movements of unknown origin on the border with Syria.
The army stated in a statement that "planes from the Royal Jordanian Air Force moved in response to an alert from radar devices that detected air movements of unknown origin."
The statement added that an Air Force squadron flew to ensure the safety of Jordanian airspace and that there was no threat.
The source of the aforementioned movements was not mentioned.
Reuters quoted witnesses as saying that warplanes - believed to be Jordanian - were heard flying over the Jordanian city of Irbid and areas near the border crossing with Syria.
Last January, 3 American soldiers were killed and about 34 were injured after a drone attack on an American base in Jordan that Washington said was linked to armed groups allied with Iran.
Jordan requested Patriot air defense systems from the United States, saying it fears being caught in the crossfire if the war in Gaza draws Iran and its allied groups in the region to the kingdom’s borders.
Jordanian soldiers during a previous gathering near the Jordanian-Israeli border (Reuters - Archive)
War and dangers
Retired Brigadier General of Jordanian Intelligence Saud Al-Sharafat said, "Regardless of whether there is an objection or not, the risk of Jordan falling into the middle of the fire increases the longer the war on Gaza lasts."
Reuters quoted Al-Sharafat as saying, "Jordan is located in the middle of a volatile area at the intersection of the launching of marches and missiles from Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Iranian-backed militias present in the region."
Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, Iraq and Syria have witnessed mutual attacks between armed groups allied with Iran and American forces stationed in the region.
Officials say that the Jordanian government, which signed a defense agreement with the United States in January 2021, wants to strengthen its defenses against groups allied with Iran, which is strengthening its power on Jordan's borders with Iraq and Syria.
It is noteworthy that the Yemeni Houthi group had fired several missiles at Israel and they were shot down in the vicinity of the city of Eilat overlooking the Red Sea, adjacent to the Jordanian border and the city of Aqaba.
Source: Reuters