DUBAI, SEPTEMBER 4: Jordan’s longstanding security partnership with the United States is facing a fresh test as Iranian missile and drone strikes increasingly target military facilities in the kingdom hosting American forces.
Jordan, a close US ally in the Middle East, has faced hundreds of missile and drone attacks, adding to economic pressures and growing instability in the neighbouring West Bank.
Despite the risks, Jordanian leaders remain committed to their strategic relationship with Washington, which Amman sees as crucial to safeguarding the kingdom against regional threats, including Iran’s efforts to expand its influence among neighbouring countries.
Since King Abdullah II came to the throne in 1999, Jordan has steadily strengthened its defence and diplomatic ties with Washington. The kingdom has provided logistical and intelligence support to US-led operations in the region, including the campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
Jordan’s strategic importance has grown further amid the conflict with Iran. A 2021 defence cooperation agreement allows US forces and contractors access to 12 military installations across the kingdom. NATO also opened its first liaison office in the region in Jordan in 2025.
The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has emerged as a key logistics hub for US military operations, hosting transport aircraft and combat aircraft. Analysts say Jordan’s strategic location provides the US with important operational depth, but also makes the kingdom a potential target.
Around 50,000 US troops are deployed across the Middle East, though the number stationed in Jordan has not been disclosed. Jordan also receives significant financial assistance from Washington, with US grants accounting for a substantial share of its annual budget.
The kingdom faces challenges beyond the Iranian threat. Its economy has been strained by the influx of millions of refugees from regional conflicts, while high energy prices and inflation have added to economic pressures.
Jordan is also closely watching rising violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Officials and analysts fear further instability could trigger another influx of Palestinian refugees into the kingdom.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday defended Amman’s sovereign right to determine its own policies, rejecting Iranian claims that Jordan was a party to the conflict.
“Iran has been attacking us and many other countries in the region long before even this war started,” Safadi said in Vienna, accusing Tehran of interference in the internal affairs of regional states.
He stressed that Jordan is a sovereign country and “was not a party to this war.”
Most Iranian missiles and drones targeting American assets in Jordan have been intercepted by US air defence systems, but the repeated attacks have underscored the risks faced by Jordan as it continues to host American military forces and maintain its close partnership with Washington.
