During the Iranian attack on Israel on the night of Saturday April 13 to Sunday April 14, Jordan shot down dozens of Iranian missiles and drones crossing its airspace, as part of a joint American directive. Aid to the Jewish state which has angered some Jordanians, who accuse the government of being under the thumb of Israel.
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With our correspondent in Amman, Mohamed Errami
As soon as the smoke from Iranian missiles and drones targeting Israel cleared, Jordan admitted that its armed forces had faced a number of “flying objects” Saturday evening, after their entry into its airspace.
This recognition angered many Jordanians, who consider that shooting down Iranian targets in the kingdom’s skies amounted to Jordanian participation. in defense of Israel and its interests, as Omar and Nour, two residents of Amman, say.
“ Jordan was supposed to let Iranian missiles through, because they target our enemy and the enemy of all Arabs », Estimates Omar. “ Jordan’s intervention means that it participated in the defense of Israel, just like America and Britain, and that is a shame for us », retorts Nour.
“ Jordan avoids siding with either side »
On the other hand, observers, including Hussein Al-Momani, fear that Jordanian intervention in the Iranian strike against Israel does not lead to a military confrontation with regional powers. And this even though the Jordanian authorities have justified that their response to Iranian missiles and planes was primarily aimed at protecting Jordanians, as well as the sovereignty of its airspace.
“ Jordan remains a small, poor country incapable of engaging in a regional war involving significant military force like the United States and Iran. But it is clear from official statements that Jordan avoids siding with either party », deciphers Hussein Al-Momani.
Jordan, which closed its airspace to air traffic for more than ten hours, confirmed that the missile fragments that fell on several areas of the country did not cause any civilian casualties or significant material damage.
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