Israel warns of destabilization of Jordan and West Bank by Iran and Hamas

Latest developments

Israel’s foreign minister has warned that Iran and its Palestinian terrorist proxy Hamas are attempting to destabilize both Jordan and the Palestinian Authority (PA)-controlled West Bank by smuggling weapons and money through the Hashemite Kingdom. In a post on X on August 12, Israel Katz claimed that “a serious and dangerous situation is unfolding” as units of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) “are working with Hamas operatives in Lebanon to smuggle weapons and money into Jordan with the aim of destabilizing the regime.”

After decades of discreet bilateral cooperation, Israel has generally avoided public comment on Jordanian security matters, even in the face of often fierce policy criticism from Amman. Katz’s message, however, stressed that Iran “is working to establish a new eastern terror front against Israel’s key population centers.” This, he said, involves working with Hamas terrorists in neighboring Lebanon to deliver weapons and money to Jordan “with the aim of destabilizing the regime.” The weapons are then smuggled into the West Bank, giving Iran de facto control over Palestinian areas nominally under PA administration and creating springboards for attacks on Israelis.

Separately, Israeli Army Radio reported that the IDF could soon set up a new division to secure the porous Jordanian border. The IDF confirmed that such a proposal was under consideration.

Expert analysis

“Since the 1970s, the Hashemite Kingdom has looked to Israel to ensure its survival in the face of regional threats. But in the meantime, it has indulged in anti-Israel lip service in the hope of appeasing its Palestinian majority. The censorship has only intensified during the war in Gaza. It is time for the double game to stop.” — Mark DubowitzCEO of FDD

“Iran’s role in the surge in violence in the West Bank has been an ongoing challenge for Israel since June 2021. The regime identified and exploited the Palestinian Authority’s weak governance in the West Bank by flooding the territory with weapons and empowering its clients. The Palestinian Authority, for its part, understands that Iran’s meddling undermines its influence, but has done little to change this troubling dynamic.” — Joe TruzmanSenior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Iran uses criminal network to smuggle weapons into Jordan

Iran uses a network of militants, criminals and intelligence services to smuggle weapons into the West Bank. The New York Times on April 9, citing an anonymous group of Iranian, American, and Israeli officials. Iranian agents pass the weapons to Bedouin smugglers in Jordan, who deliver the supplies to criminal gangs on the Israeli border. On August 4, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi arrived in Tehran as regional tensions escalated following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Safadi said on X that he had passed on a message from Jordan’s King Abdullah to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian “about the regional situation” and had “held discussions with the (Iranian) Foreign Minister about the dangerous escalation that has taken place in the region.”

“Jordanian Foreign Minister Arrives in Tehran”, FDD Flash Brief

“Iran Gave Jordan and Israel a Chance to Improve Ties,” by Natalie Ecanow and Behnam Ben Taleblu

“Bypassing tensions with Israel, Jordan helps fend off Iran with US-led coalition,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran tries to destabilize Jordan,” FDD Flash Brief