Jordan Launches Airstrikes Against Drug Trafficking Networks in Southern Syria
[DAMASCUS] The Jordanian army launched a series of precise airstrikes on Wednesday evening, targeting drug trafficking networks and farms used for storing narcotics in the southern and eastern countryside of As-Suwayda in Syrian territory. The strikes were part of Jordan’s ongoing efforts to combat escalating security threats along its northern border with Syria.
A Syrian security source told The Media Line that the raids hit locations used to stockpile narcotics and prepare them for smuggling into Jordan. Residents in the area described the bombardment as “violent and precise.”
For its part, the Jordanian army announced in an official statement through local media that the airstrikes came after precise intelligence operations, and targeted “a number of factories and workshops that drug and weapons traffickers use as bases for launching their illegal operations toward Jordanian territory.”
The army confirmed that it carried out the operation “in coordination with regional partners,” without disclosing additional details about the targeted sites or the results of the strikes.
One resident of the southern As-Suwayda countryside, who requested that his identity not be disclosed, told The Media Line that the attack was “extremely powerful,” and noting that the sounds of explosions were clearly heard in several villages near the Jordanian border.
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The airstrikes come amid an escalation in drug smuggling across the Syrian-Jordanian border in recent years, particularly of Captagon pills, which have grown into a large-scale trade that finances multiple drug-trafficking networks and, at times, armed groups in parts of southern and western Syria.
Jordan previously announced, on several occasions, that it had succeeded in thwarting complex drug smuggling operations across its approximately 375-kilometer-long border with Syria. Military sources said that the networks use techniques such as small drones and complex storage points inside Syrian territory to facilitate the smuggling process.
These air offensives are a continuation of Jordanian military interventions inside southern Syria that began years ago, targeting smuggling networks, weapons, and affiliated institutions, in operations that Amman says are necessary to protect its national security and prevent the flow of drugs and weapons into its territory.
There have been mixed reactions to these operations in the region. While Jordanian authorities view them as a first line of defense against the threats posed by illicit trafficking routes, some Syrian residents express concern about the repercussions of the airstrikes on civilians and local infrastructure.
In response, Amman says its operations focus solely on targets linked to smuggling and are carried out with precision to minimize collateral damage.
Analysts indicate that Jordan is seeking to cut off the roots of organized smuggling networks that exploit Syria’s instability, while also sending a clear message that Amman will use all available means to defend its borders, particularly given the risks posed by the drug trade and its role in financing armed groups.
In its concluding statement, the Jordanian army reaffirmed its full readiness to respond to any threat to the Kingdom’s security and the safety of its citizens, stressing that it will continue to monitor the borders and work with regional partners to maintain the security and stability of the region.
