In Tel Aviv [Israel], senior Hamas official Zaher Jabrin called on Jordanians to rise up against Israel on Saturday night, putting King Abdullah in a precarious position. Iran's strategic advances along the Lebanese-Israeli border have emboldened Tehran to extend its influence into Jordan.
But Jabrin's comments were not the opening salvo in attempts to draw Jordan into Iran's orbit and encircle Israel.
Following the December assassination of Jabrin's predecessor, Saleh Arouri, Jabrin called on Palestinians around the world to defend Jerusalem. Similarly, Khaled Mashal sparked nationwide riots in April when he urged Jordanians to "mix Arab blood with Palestinian blood." The speech shocked the entire kingdom, causing demonstrations and confrontations.
That same month, Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, suggested that if Qatar expelled Hamas, the terrorist group would move to Jordan. This statement was perceived as a direct threat by Jordanian officials, who saw it as a declaration of war. Abu Marzouk's reasoning was based on the fact that many Hamas members have Jordanian citizenship.
However, Jordan, which expelled Hamas in 1999, views the terrorist group's return – especially facilitated by Iran – as a significant threat to the kingdom's national security.
Iran exerts pressure on Jordan through its militias stationed along the 179-kilometer border between Iraq and Jordan. Reports indicate that tens of thousands of Shia recruits, including Jordanian and Iraqi recruits, are being mobilized in these militias.
Jordan's King Abdullah has found himself increasingly isolated in this fight. He has urgently called for support from Arab nations and the United States, highlighting the critical role Jordan plays as a buffer state between Israel and the Iranian bloc. Israel and Jordan share a 350 kilometer border.
Many of the missiles and drones launched by Iran in an April attack on Israel were intercepted by the Jordanian military in Jordanian airspace. This led Tehran to threaten that Jordan "will be the next target" if Amman intervenes against Israel. The Iranians even launched a disinformation campaign claiming that Amman allowed the Israeli Air Force to use Jordanian airspace and hosted a coalition command center.
Additionally, attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Houthis caused traffic at the port of Aqaba to fall by around 20 percent in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. , according to Jordanian media reports.
Beyond political provocations, Jordan has been grappling with a concerted effort to smuggle weapons into its territory, intended for use inside Israel. Israeli authorities attribute these operations to Iranian financing and logistical support, channeled through Palestinian youth and Hamas' terrorist infrastructure within the refugee camps, particularly the Jenin refugee camp.
Iran claims its actions support the Palestinian cause. However, Jordanian authorities recognize that their kingdom could be the next target in Iran's crosshairs.
But Jabrin's comments were not the opening salvo in attempts to draw Jordan into Iran's orbit and encircle Israel.
Following the December assassination of Jabrin's predecessor, Saleh Arouri, Jabrin called on Palestinians around the world to defend Jerusalem. Similarly, Khaled Mashal sparked nationwide riots in April when he urged Jordanians to "mix Arab blood with Palestinian blood." The speech shocked the entire kingdom, causing demonstrations and confrontations.
That same month, Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, suggested that if Qatar expelled Hamas, the terrorist group would move to Jordan. This statement was perceived as a direct threat by Jordanian officials, who saw it as a declaration of war. Abu Marzouk's reasoning was based on the fact that many Hamas members have Jordanian citizenship.
However, Jordan, which expelled Hamas in 1999, views the terrorist group's return – especially facilitated by Iran – as a significant threat to the kingdom's national security.
Iran exerts pressure on Jordan through its militias stationed along the 179-kilometer border between Iraq and Jordan. Reports indicate that tens of thousands of Shia recruits, including Jordanian and Iraqi recruits, are being mobilized in these militias.
Jordan's King Abdullah has found himself increasingly isolated in this fight. He has urgently called for support from Arab nations and the United States, highlighting the critical role Jordan plays as a buffer state between Israel and the Iranian bloc. Israel and Jordan share a 350 kilometer border.
Many of the missiles and drones launched by Iran in an April attack on Israel were intercepted by the Jordanian military in Jordanian airspace. This led Tehran to threaten that Jordan "will be the next target" if Amman intervenes against Israel. The Iranians even launched a disinformation campaign claiming that Amman allowed the Israeli Air Force to use Jordanian airspace and hosted a coalition command center.
Additionally, attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Houthis caused traffic at the port of Aqaba to fall by around 20 percent in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. , according to Jordanian media reports.
Beyond political provocations, Jordan has been grappling with a concerted effort to smuggle weapons into its territory, intended for use inside Israel. Israeli authorities attribute these operations to Iranian financing and logistical support, channeled through Palestinian youth and Hamas' terrorist infrastructure within the refugee camps, particularly the Jenin refugee camp.
Iran claims its actions support the Palestinian cause. However, Jordanian authorities recognize that their kingdom could be the next target in Iran's crosshairs.
