Jordan Daily Brief — Thursday, June 12, 2026

Jordan's air defense systems and Royal Air Force aircraft shot down 20 ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward the Azraq area in Zarqa Governorate in the early hours of Thursday, according to a military source at the Jordan Armed Forces General Command. 1

Missile debris fell across several sites, but no injuries or property damage were reported. Engineering teams were immediately deployed to inspect the remnants and ensure no unexploded materials remained. The JAF source said Jordan "will not tolerate any violation of its airspace by any party under any circumstances." 2

The attack came during a second consecutive day of US-Iran exchanges. Iran fired at Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain after the US launched a wider overnight strike campaign against Iranian military targets — hitting surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, and air defense sites across Tehran and southern Iran. 3 Iran's Foreign Ministry declared the US attacks had "effectively rendered the ceasefire meaningless," and separately announced the Strait of Hormuz closed — though CENTCOM disputed the claim, and only a trickle of shipping had moved through the waterway since the war began in February.

The Azraq area hosts a Jordanian military installation where US forces are based, which Iran cited as its target. Yesterday's brief reported the first wave of Iranian missiles against the same base; Thursday's volley is a direct escalation, with Iran doubling the number of projectiles.

Under a direct Royal directive, the Jordan Armed Forces sent a mobile bakery unit to Lebanon on Thursday via the Jaber border crossing. The two-truck unit, equipped with advanced baking systems, can produce up to 3,500 loaves per hour and is designed to meet daily food needs in areas under strain. 4

The deployment follows six land convoys organized by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization over recent months, which delivered 130 trucks of food, medical, and humanitarian supplies to communities across Lebanon. Jordan acknowledged Syrian authorities for facilitating transit of the convoys. The bakery shifts Jordan's assistance from one-time deliveries to a sustained, on-site production capacity.

Cargo throughput at Aqaba's ports rose 38 percent from January through the first week of June compared with the same period last year, reaching approximately 2.8 million tons, ASEZA Chairman Shadi Al-Majali said during an inspection visit Thursday. The port received 164 vessels, up 9.3 percent from 150 in the same 2025 period. 5

Transit cargo to Iraq is the main growth driver — volumes are on track to exceed one million tons by end of June. Sugar accounts for 55 percent of total transit cargo; corn and barley follow at 33 percent. Both are commodities tied directly to regional food supply chains disrupted by Strait of Hormuz restrictions. Al-Majali said improved operational efficiency means a larger average cargo load per vessel, explaining why cargo volume grew faster than vessel count.

Separately, Aqaba is opening dedicated World Cup fan zones, tourism initiatives, and community events as Jordan's team prepares for its first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, which kicks off Thursday. The Tourism Ministry said it is positioning the tournament as a platform to expand the Kingdom's global visitor profile. 6

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh led a high-level delegation to Washington this week, meeting White House officials, the US Chamber of Commerce, and US Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly. 7

The centerpiece of Kharabsheh's pitch was the Risha-Arab Gas Pipeline — linking the Risha gas field to the Arab Gas Pipeline — with the implementation tender expected in Q3 2026. His portfolio also included Mujib hydropower, natural gas distribution networks in Amman and Zarqa, a North Risha exploration program with plans for up to 80 new wells, and early-stage green hydrogen projects.

Jarrod Agen, Executive Director of the National Energy Dominance Council, expressed interest in deeper US-Jordan energy ties and announced plans for a conference to bring American energy and mining companies to explore Jordanian investment opportunities. Danly separately confirmed US interest in encouraging American firms to participate in Jordan's energy sector.

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation confirmed Thursday that the Meridiam-Suez consortium is the only group to have submitted a final bid for the National Water Carrier Project after four of five shortlisted international consortia either withdrew or failed to submit offers. 8

Meridiam is a global infrastructure investment manager with assets over $23 billion; Suez is one of the world's largest water and sanitation operators. The consortium also includes VINCI, Orascom, Arab Contractors, and Greece-based Archirodon. The project follows a Build-Operate-Transfer model. The ministry said the tender process was conducted with "a high level of transparency and governance," positioning the project to secure substantial international financing.