Jordan announced the foiling of a drug smuggling attempt from Syria, marking a significant crackdown on the cross-border drug trade.
According to a Jordanian military source reported by the Jordanian News Agency, smugglers were injured during clashes with security forces, which resulted in the smugglers retreating back into Syrian territory.
The confiscated drugs were handed over to the relevant authorities.
Western anti-drug officials report that war-torn Syria has become a major hub for the production of Captagon, a powerful amphetamine, with Jordan serving as a transit route to the Gulf countries.
Jordanian officials and their Western allies claim that Hezbollah, backed by Iran, along with other Iran-aligned armed groups controlling large parts of southern Syria, are behind the growth of this multibillion-dollar drug and arms trade.
In response to these threats, the Jordanian military has conducted several preemptive airstrikes inside Syria since last year.
Jordanian officials state these strikes targeted armed groups linked to the drug trade and their facilities, to curb cross-border infiltration.
Jordan’s government has issued an urgent call for its citizens to leave Lebanon “as soon as possible” amid growing concerns of a potential regional conflict involving Iran and its allies against Israel.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry strongly advised against travel to Lebanon and urged Jordanians currently in the country to depart immediately.
According to Ministry spokesperson Sufyan al-Qudah, the recommendation is a precautionary measure in light of regional developments and is aimed at ensuring the safety of Jordanian nationals.
He also emphasized the importance of adhering to safety guidelines issued by Lebanese authorities and registering promptly on the website of the Jordanian embassy in Beirut.
