Jordan denies evacuating Aqaba airport, seaport after U.S. alert
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Jordan on Sunday denied reports that authorities had evacuated Aqaba’s international airport and seaport, saying both facilities were operating normally despite a security alert issued earlier by the U.S. Embassy in Amman.
Government spokesperson Mohammad al-Momani told Reuters that Jordanian authorities had not ordered the evacuation of either facility and had not detected any immediate security threats.
“No potential threats have been recorded by the relevant Jordanian authorities in the past few hours,” al-Momani said in a written statement to Reuters. “The airport and port are operating normally.”
The statement came hours after the U.S. Embassy in Amman said Jordanian authorities had evacuated Aqaba’s airport and seaport because of a “specific and credible threat.”
The embassy advised U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to either location and urged them to follow all security directives issued by Jordanian authorities. It did not provide further details about the nature of the alleged threat.
The conflicting statements emerged amid heightened regional tensions following an escalation between the United States and Iran.
On Saturday, the U.S. military said two American service members were killed and another was missing after an Iranian attack in Jordan, prompting the latest round of U.S. strikes against Iranian military targets.
Jordan has also reported repeatedly intercepting Iranian missiles crossing its airspace over the past week as hostilities have intensified across the region.
Jordan is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East and hosts American military forces that support regional security and counterterrorism operations. The kingdom has frequently found itself affected by regional conflicts because of its proximity to Syria, Iraq and Israel. Since the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran, Jordanian authorities have stepped up monitoring of the country’s airspace while reiterating that they will not allow their territory to be used as a battleground or transit route for attacks.