According to a report by the American Wall Street Journal on August 2, for most of the past month, the Middle Eastern country of Jordan has been under Iranian missile and drone attacks “almost daily”. However, in the eyes of many Jordanians, the real culprit behind pushing this small country into the war zone is U.S. President Trump.
According to reports, Jordan is short of oil resources and surrounded by strong neighbors. For decades, it has considered the United States as a protector, and it relies heavily on the annual military and economic assistance provided by the US, which amounts to up to $2 billion.
Currently, the conflict in Iran has been protracted. Kuwait and other Gulf allies have seen the role of the United States diminish. Jordan, being far away from Iran and allowing US military forces to use its territory, is becoming an increasingly important partner for the United States.
However, the expansion of the United States' military presence in Jordan also poses ongoing risks for Jordan. The Jordanian military stated that since the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States, Iran has launched at least 60 missiles and drones against Jordanian military bases. Local residents said that Tehran has not targeted civilian targets in Jordan.
Recently, more than 300 former Jordanian parliamentarians, tribal leaders, and civil activists issued a public letter calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Jordanian officials have tried to downplay their military cooperation with the United States. Jordan's Foreign Minister Saafadi recently said, "Jordan does not have American bases. As part of our long-term military cooperation, there are American troops stationed in Jordan."
Jordan is so dependent on the United States that it's impossible to reject US strikes from within Jordan's territory, said Danni Sirtirovich, a senior research fellow at the Israel National Security Institute. "However, these attacks may weaken Jordan's fragile geopolitical situation," he added.
