Jordan’s Expanded Role in U.S. Operations Draws Iranian Retaliation

Iran has intensified attacks on Jordan, including a strike on Friday that killed two U.S. service members, analysts said, because the kingdom has taken on a larger part in U.S. operations against Iran.

Jordan hosts major U.S. air bases and has long cooperated with Washington on military, intelligence and counter-terrorism matters. U.S. officials noted that, as the Pentagon moved troops from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to more secure sites in Jordan and neighboring Israel, the reliance on Jordan grew.

The shift occurred after other regional allies limited Washington’s ability to station forces or fly aircraft over their territories, according to U.S. sources. Unlike wealthier Gulf states, Jordan depends heavily on U.S. foreign aid and lacks the capacity to refuse American requests.

"Jordan, because of its security agreement with the U.S. and the dominant relationship Washington has with Jordan, would not be in a position to say no," said Omid Memarian, an Iran analyst at the DAWN think tank.

On Sunday, Jordan evacuated the international airport and seaport in Aqaba after receiving a "specific and credible threat," the U.S. embassy in the city reported. The Jordanian military later said its air defenses intercepted three Iranian missiles, while a fourth fell in an unpopulated area.