In brief
The Jordanian General Intelligence Department has announced the thwarting of a significant security threat involving plans for drone production and violence tied to regional tensions.
Jordan's security forces announced on Tuesday that they have arrested 16 individuals who were allegedly involved in a long-term plot that posed a serious threat to the nation’s security. The arrests were made by the General Intelligence Department and were tied to plans involving the production of weapons, including rockets and drones, as well as training combatants both within the country and abroad. This marked a rare acknowledgment of potential threats in Jordan, a nation regarded as one of the most stable in an unstable region.Jordan has been a vital ally to Western nations, playing a key role in combating extremist groups and mediating the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Amid rising unrest over the Gaza conflict and Jordan's previous military support for Israel, the situation within the kingdom has grown more complex, especially given that Palestinians make up approximately half of Jordan’s population. The intelligence department stated that it had closely monitored the individuals arrested since 2021, a year that witnessed an attempted palace coup against King Abdullah II. While the government did not specify whether the current detainees had any connection to that coup, which resulted in the arrest of 14 people, it emphasized the seriousness of the recent threats. The statement described the plots as involving local missile manufacturing and smuggling operations aimed at aiding Palestinian militants. A recent report suggested that those detained might have affiliations with Hamas, as tensions escalated in Gaza. Jordan's authorities have actively worked to prevent Iranian efforts to smuggle weapons through Jordan to militant factions in the region, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
