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Jordan announced on Tuesday afternoon that it had thwarted plots aimed at "undermining national security and creating chaos within the country." According to a Jordanian statement, authorities arrested 16 people, reportedly linked to Hamas, suspected of manufacturing missiles using locally sourced equipment and materials smuggled from abroad, as well as possessing explosives.
Jordanian television reported that the suspects were apprehended following a lengthy intelligence surveillance operation ongoing since 2021. The report noted that the plots intended to destabilize the country included not only missile production but also a project for manufacturing drones, as well as recruiting and training operatives both within Jordan and abroad.
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Amid these developments, reports from Jordan indicate that security forces arrested Khaled al-Johani, director of the office of the Islamic Action Front, during the night. Security forces reportedly broke down the door to his home, confiscated mobile phones and detained his sons, though the children were later released.
A security source said the suspects were connected to the Palestinian terror organization Hamas. The group, which has been at war with Israel since October 2023, has been accused of instigating anti-government street protests in Jordan, which has a large Palestinian population.
In recent years, particularly since the Gaza war, Israeli security officials have warned that Iran has increased the pace of weapons smuggling into the region through Jordan, attempting to establish a foothold in the neighboring kingdom and undermine its monarchy. Israeli authorities acknowledge that the smuggling activities via Jordan involve not only weapons but also materials classified as "terror enablers," such as cash transfers directly to terrorist organizations operating in the West Bank.