Watan-The Jordanian authorities have made a new decision, interpreted by many observers as an indication of an imminent major Iranian attack against Israeli occupation following warnings issued by several countries advising their citizens to leave the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority decided on Saturday to completely close Jordanian airspace to all aircraft movements due to escalating risks in the region and to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation, according to a statement issued by the Jordanian authorities.
The statement, as reported by Watani, read: “The Authority has decided to temporarily close Jordanian airspace to all incoming, departing, and overflying aircraft.”
Complete Ban on Flights in Jordan
The Authority specified the timing of the complete flight ban: “Starting from 20:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is 11:00 PM local time, for several hours to come, and this will be continuously updated and reviewed according to developments.”
Haitham Misto, President of the Board of Commissioners of the Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority, mentioned that air traffic in Jordan was affected due to interference with the global GPS navigation system, and alternative systems were used by aircraft.
#عاجل | هيئة تنظيم الطيران المدني الاردني تقرر اغلاق الاجواء الاردنية امام جميع الطائرات القادمة والمغادرة والعابرة للاجواء بشكل مؤقت واحترازي ابتداء من الساعة 20:00 بالتوقيت العالمي UTC اي 11:00 مساء بالتوقيت المحلي لعدة ساعات قادمة ويتم تحديث ذلك ومراجعته بشكل مستمر حسب… pic.twitter.com/mONliFHHun
— Jordan News Agency (@Petranews) April 13, 2024
Warning Message from Gulf States amid Escalation between Iran and Israel
Jordanian media outlets reported that air traffic in airports in Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, and Lebanon was affected after disruptions were detected within the global navigation systems.
Direct Iranian Involvement in Gaza War?
These developments come amid significant warnings of the possibility of the Middle East region sliding into a parallel battle to the Gaza war, with Iran as a party, following a series of assassinations targeting its leaders, the latest being a strike in Damascus that led to the killing of prominent leaders of its sectarian militias.
Many media outlets have discussed the possibility of Iran fulfilling its promise of retaliation on Friday or Saturday, with dozens of drones and missiles targeting Israeli occupation targets.
In contrast, international circles witness intense diplomatic pressure to avoid a “comprehensive and open war,” while US officials talk about their support for the occupation against any threats emanating from Iran and its allies.
The White House press service stated Saturday evening that President Joe Biden cut short his weekly vacation and returned to Washington to consult with the National Security team regarding fears of an Iranian strike against Israel.