Jordan Defends Itself by Downing Iranian Drones Meant for Israel, Jordanian Expert Tells TML

Protecting its national interest and military doctrine, Jordan downs dozens of Iranian drones bound for Israel after they invaded the airspace of the Hashemite Kingdom

[Jerusalem and Amman] After a tense night under the threat of an impending Iranian attack, Israelis woke to the news that the vast majority of drones and cruise missiles from Iran didn’t reach Israeli airspace.

According to the IDF’s spokesperson, only a small number of ballistic missiles reached Israel, thanks to the help of the US, UK, France, and Jordan. Out of the few Iranian missiles that managed to reach the Jewish state’s airspace, 99% were taken down by local air defenses. Still, one Israeli citizen was reported seriously wounded in southern Israel and was being treated in a local hospital. Also, in the Israeli south, an airbase suffered minor damage to infrastructure.

Coming from a rather bleak period for peace in the Middle East, Israel and its allies celebrated the Jewish state’s ability to defend against Iran. An Israeli official reported that American forces intercepted over 100 aircraft attempting to enter Israel, while Jordanian jets successfully neutralized dozens of Iranian drones trying to reach Israel using the Hashemite kingdom’s airspace.

The Media Line spoke to Hazem Salem Al Dmour, general manager of Strategiecs, an independent think tank based in Amman. He explained that Jordan’s recent actions don’t reflect a love for Israel but strategy and self-interest.

Hazem Salem Al Dmour, general manager of Strategiecs. (Courtesy)

“Jordan clashes with drugs and weapons-smuggling militias backed by Iran daily. Iranian drones have previously penetrated Jordanian airspace, and Jordan handled the problem militarily, similarly to what happened in the early hours of April 14,” Al Dmour said.

Jordan clashes with drugs and weapons-smuggling militias backed by Iran daily

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, anti-Israel sentiment in Jordan has grown significantly, but Jordanians consider Iran’s threat a problem of its own.

“Despite the presence of negative feelings toward Israel inside Jordan, the average Jordanian does not view the recent downing of Iranian drones as a gesture of support to Israel but instead as an act to protect Jordanian lands and people against any party targeting Jordanian interests,” Al Dmour added.

“The Jordanian Armed Forces acted by their military doctrine, which primarily aims to safeguard the Jordanian airspace and lands against intruders,” he continued. “This is the foundation for dealing with Iranian military entities, as Jordan will not tolerate any encroachment on its airspace or lands by any other party or nation. The Syrian-Jordanian border might witness some form of reprisal due to the recent downing of Iranian drones, but it is unlikely that Jordan will be retaliated against in any future large-scale attack.”

Despite Jordan’s actions appearing to support Israel, Al Dmour explained that “Jordan has a clear position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and on the current war in Gaza. Jordan made every effort to stop the war and explicitly condemned the use of excessive force against civilians, including the killing of thousands of women and children. So, it is unlikely that we will see any changes in the Jordanian position under the current Israeli government.”

The Media Line also spoke to Prof. Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. According to Prof. Inbar, Jordan’s actions reflect its commitment to the 1994 peace treaty with Israel and its own strategic self-interest. “Jordan sees Iran as a substantial threat. Internally, Jordan has to deal with Iran’s attempts to interfere with the Hashemite Kingdom. Externally, Jordan sees Iran as a threat to global stability. So, it was in Jordan’s self-interest to help down Iran’s attack against Israel, even if the Jordanian public expresses historically high levels of anti-Israel sentiment right now.”

Jordan sees Iran as a substantial threat

Prof. Inbar said that Jordan’s downing of Iranian drones targeting Israel “doesn’t mean diplomatic relations between the two are back to normal, and it is unclear if Jordan will send a new diplomat to its embassy in Israel soon. But these things are a part of the ups and downs normal to all diplomatic relations. Jordan’s actions show where its strategic interests are, especially its commitment to the 1994 peace treaty with Israel,” he said.

Prof. Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. (Courtesy)

Following Iran’s attempt to directly attack Israel for the first time, Jordan’s state media issued a statement by its deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, in the morning after these events. In the statement, Safadi defended Jordan’s right to destroy the Iranian drones crossing into its airspace and called for regional restraint. The deputy prime minister underscored the need to cease Israeli operations in Gaza and a comprehensive settlement grounded in the two-state solution as the avenue to quell the escalation engulfing the Middle East since October 7, 2023. Safadi cautioned against the consequences of prolonged aggression, warning it could take escalate, threatening regional security and international stability.