Jordan Daily Brief — Friday, June 12, 2026

Jordan's air defenses intercepted a second wave of 20 Iranian missiles Thursday morning; the GCC, UAE and Egypt condemned the strikes as a senior Jordanian delegation in Washington wrapped up meetings on energy investment with US officials and BlackRock. Here is today's briefing.

Jordanian air defense systems, backed by Royal Air Force aircraft, shot down 20 missiles fired from Iran toward the Azraq area in Zarqa Governorate early Thursday. 1 A military source at the General Command of the Jordan Armed Forces said missile debris fell in the area but no injuries or material damage were recorded. Engineering teams were dispatched to clear debris and confirm no unexploded materials remained.

This is the third day running that Iran has targeted Jordan. The Armed Forces statement reiterated that any violation of Jordanian airspace will be dealt with decisively and that the Kingdom maintains the highest levels of operational readiness.

Regional condemnation followed quickly. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi condemned the attacks as "repeated Iranian hostile aggression" against Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, saying they undermine international efforts to reach a resolution to the crisis. 2 The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling the attacks "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty" of the three countries and pledged full solidarity with Amman, Manama and Kuwait City. 3 Egypt also denounced what it described as repeated Iranian attacks on the three Arab states. 4

Amman with the national flag — Pixabay, free to use (Squirrel_photos)

Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh and Investment Minister Tariq Abu Ghazaleh concluded a high-level visit to Washington on Thursday that covered the full range of Jordan's investment agenda. 5 Meetings included US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Deputy Secretary James Danly, a roundtable at the US Chamber of Commerce, and separate talks with BlackRock — one of the world's largest asset managers — on strategic infrastructure partnerships.

Kharabsheh focused on the al-Risha gas field, where plans call for drilling up to 80 wells and constructing a pipeline linking the field to the Arab Gas Pipeline network. Abu Ghazaleh laid out Jordan's Economic Modernization Vision and regulatory reforms. The delegation also participated in an Atlantic Council policy session on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and met with the East Mediterranean Gas Forum to discuss regional energy integration.

The Executive Director of the White House National Energy Dominance Council, Jarrod Agen, said the meetings demonstrated growing American interest in Jordan's clean energy, natural gas, strategic minerals and infrastructure opportunities.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Jordan National Red Crescent Society (JNRCS) launched a Japan-funded humanitarian health project in Amman worth more than $2 million. 6 The project is aligned with King Abdullah II's Medical Corridor initiative and will provide specialized surgical care, post-operative support and medicines to children evacuated from Gaza to Jordanian hospitals.

Under the project, JNRCS will also establish a prosthetic limb production unit at its Amman hospital, serving medically evacuated children from Gaza as well as refugees and vulnerable Jordanians. The project additionally funds an intensive care ambulance and a coaster bus to improve patient transfers between crossing points, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. Mental health and psychosocial support services are included.

Japanese Ambassador Asari Hideki said the assistance reflects Japan's recognition of Jordan's stabilizing role in the region.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off Thursday in Mexico City, with hosts Mexico facing South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. 7 Jordan — Al-Nashama — is making its first appearance at this scale of the competition, drawn in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria and Argentina.

The schedule:

Crown Prince Hussein separately contacted injured Jordan national team players who were unable to travel with the squad, with players Ibrahim Sabra and Issam Al Samiri saying the calls provided major morale boosts during their rehabilitation. 8

The Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) opened an online application window Thursday for hotels, restaurants, camps, bazaar and souvenir shop owners, and licensed travel agencies affected by the "exceptional circumstances" that have disrupted tourism in the Petra region since March 1, 2026. 9 Applications will be accepted online through the end of Wednesday, June 17. Eligible establishments must be registered, licensed and still operating, and must submit worker lists and salary details subject to social security contributions.

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the Creative Circular Economy Center, a 5,000-square-meter facility backed by JD 1.2 million in investment from ASEZA, the UN Development Programme and the European Union. 10 The center — the first of its kind in Jordan — will sort, process, repair, reuse and remanufacture recoverable materials from households, hotels and commercial establishments, and include environmental business incubators, renewable energy systems and EV charging stations. Aqaba currently sends roughly 90,000 tonnes of waste to landfill annually; the center is designed to redirect a meaningful share into value-added products and create new private-sector jobs.