In the ongoing Israeli-Iranian conflict, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are neutralizing missiles flying over their territory, fired by Iran towards Israel. Why are they doing it?
The position of 21 countries from the Middle East and Africa on the conflict between Israel and Iran is clear - they signed a joint declaration condemning Israel's strikes against the Islamic Republic. Jordan and Saudi Arabia also signed this declaration. However, this does not stop them from indirectly intervening in the conflict: both Jordan and Saudi Arabia shoot down missiles aimed by Iran at Israel when they pass through their airspace. The Jordanian army confirmed that this is true. Although there has been no official statement from Riyadh, experts say it is safe to assume that the Saudi military is doing the same.
Domestic political problems
This policy creates tension in the two countries, whose populations are generally hostile to Israel. This is especially noticeable in Jordan, where nearly 60 percent of the population comes from the present-day Palestinian territories. It is also difficult for the royal family in Amman to legitimize the passage of Iranian missiles through Jordanian airspace. Therefore, the king invokes the principle of self-defense. According to him, foreign countries cannot use Jordanian airspace without explicit permission. "This message - we defend ourselves by shooting down missiles - is repeated on all channels," says Edmund Ratka, head of the office of the "Konrad Adenauer" Foundation in Amman.
As for the domestic political situation, Ratka draws attention to the fact that Jordan banned the activities of the Islamist movement "Muslim Brotherhood" after uncovering a terrorist cell in the country. This was Amman's response to the growing sentiment towards radicalization, especially among young people. That is why it is very important for the government not to appear as if it is showing solidarity with Israel by shooting down the Iranian missiles, says political scientist Stefan Lucas. "Despite everything, the decision deepens tensions", he believes.
Jordan cannot afford to position itself as a defender of Israel, Ratka explains. "The Jordanian people overwhelmingly consider Israel to be an aggressor". However, the same applies to Iran. "We often do sociological surveys in Jordan. For years, they have shown that there is almost no sympathy for Iran in the country, because Tehran is seen as a problematic player that repeatedly interferes in Arab internal affairs with the aim of destabilizing the region.
Pragmatic solution
Jordan's decision to shoot down Iranian missiles is based on entirely pragmatic reasons, believes Lucas, who recalls that Amman signed a security agreement with the United States in 2021. "Jordan will not allow itself to openly oppose the United States or Israel", says the expert. "The country is too dependent on the United States and to some extent even on Israel - both financially and in terms of its security".
This puts the Jordanian authorities in a fundamentally difficult position. If it is a question of protecting national airspace, then in this case they must also oppose the Israeli air force. According to all known facts, Israel did not violate Jordanian airspace during its attacks, notes Ratka. "So the Jordanian authorities can to some extent claim that they are simply defending their airspace. In fact, they are only shooting down Iranian missiles".
Riyadh's delicate game
Saudi Arabia is also in a delicate position. Before signing the joint declaration of 21 Arab and Muslim countries, Riyadh spoke of Iran as a "brotherly" nation - a serious signal of solidarity with Tehran, which Saudi Arabia generally demonstrates only with Arab countries. Outside of the official rhetoric, however, Riyadh pursues completely different goals, says Stefan Lucas. "Unofficially, Saudi Arabia is categorically involved in the actions against Iran".
This course is based on cooperation in the field of security and, above all, in intelligence. "Saudi Arabia provides radar data and allows Israel to fly through its airspace, especially in the north of the country, where Iranian missiles mainly fly. We see that Saudi Arabia is very favorable to Israel,” says Lucas.
In addition, Riyadh has relied on the United States for military protection in the event of a potential conflict with Iran for decades. The two countries are arch-enemies in the region, and although they have recently normalized relations, it is a very fragile peace. That is why Saudi Arabia relies mainly on the United States when there is any doubt.