Not only did the Israeli Air Force shoot down Iranian missiles that night, but so did the Jordanian Air Force. Jordan and Iraq are located on the direct line between Iran and Israel. Both airspaces were closed at night. The fact that Jordan also shot down Iranian missiles and drones could put the kingdom in trouble.
The sky of the Jordanian capital, Amman, was brightly lit at times during the night. Over and over, you can see the rays of light hitting each other. Jordanian army air defense systems that intercepted some Iranian missiles.
Iran warned: Jordan itself may become a target
On the outskirts of Amman, residents took pictures of part of a black missile that crashed. These recordings were shared across social media today.
legend:
Overnight, photos of the wrecked drone parts were circulated on social media.
France Press agency
Iran warned Jordan last night against interfering. According to the Iranian Fars News Agency, the Iranian Armed Forces were closely monitoring the movements of the Jordanian Air Force. It was said that if Jordan intervened, the kingdom would make itself a target.
Amman breaks tradition
Iran warned Jordan of a “punitive attack” against Israel so that the kingdom can take its security precautions. In fact, Jordanian airspace was closed as of 11pm that night. A move that was reversed this morning.
By intercepting Iranian missiles and threats, Jordan broke with tradition. When Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein fired missiles at Israel over Jordanian territory in 1991, then-Jordanian King Hussein did not intervene. Today, the Jordanian government justified its objection by saying that it wanted to protect its people. The Jordanian Prime Minister later stressed his position, saying that further escalation in the region would lead to “dangerous paths.”
A portion of the population is likely to interpret air defense as a defense of Israel
But even if the Jordanian intervention is primarily aimed at protecting its population, it is likely to face criticism there. A large portion of the Jordanian population has Palestinian roots, and is likely to interpret air defense as a defense of their unloved neighbor Israel.
The Kingdom of Jordan may have moved a little closer to Israel tonight. This displeases Iran and perhaps other neighbors in the region – and certainly also displeases its population, the majority of which are Palestinians.
“Typical entrepreneur. Lifelong beer expert. Hipster-friendly internet buff. Analyst. Social media enthusiast.”
More Stories
Utah: The cat was sent to Amazon in a return package
Ryanair boss wants planes to be made available for repatriation
A boy finds a rare Lego octopus from a container that fell into the sea in 1997