Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted Iranian missiles fired toward the Jordanian city of Aqaba on Sunday, prompting Israel to launch Iron Dome interceptors near the neighboring resort city of Eilat after shrapnel from an intercepted missile landed just north of the city. American air defense systems intercepted the primary missile warheads before Israeli systems shot down remaining debris, and flights to and from nearby Ramon Airport were briefly suspended during the interceptions, according to The Times of Israel.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel was closely following the Aqaba attack and that its air defenses remained on high alert. He warned of a “harsh counterstrike” if Iran moved closer to Israeli territory, adding that the military was prepared to return to open war if further harmed, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The Jordanian military said it downed three Iranian ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom’s territory, while a fourth fell in a deserted area without causing casualties. Jordan disputed a separate US Embassy statement that Aqaba’s airport and seaport had been evacuated due to an unspecified threat, with a government spokesman saying both facilities were operating normally and that authorities had not monitored any potential threats in the preceding hours, according to AFP via Shabtabnews.
Analysts at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs have described Iran’s strikes on US-aligned states across the region, including Jordan, as an attempt to exploit their geographic exposure and pressure Washington to end the war.
