A day after an Israeli expert detailed the ISIS threat to Israel and Jordan in a briefing hosted by The Israel Project, a Ynet report revealed that the two governments are cooperating and coordinating their response to jihadist terrorism.
Terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) recently captured positions on the Iraq-Jordan border, and ISIS leaders have made it clear their goal is to overrun the region and establish a radical Islamic caliphate.
“There is a very good cooperation between us regarding ISIS’ growing presence in Iraq and Syria, but also on issues relating to other radical forces in the Middle East which have their sights set on Israel and Jordan,” a Jordanian diplomatic source told Ynet.
A Jordanian army source confirmed that army units had been put in a state of alert in recent days along Jordan’s 181-km (112-mile) border with Iraq, redeploying in some areas as part of steps to ward off “any potential or perceived security threats.”
Jordan receives equipment to police its borders from from the U.S. and Israel, and consults closely with both countries on security issues, the Financial Times reports. At least 1,000 U.S. troops were stationed in Jordan last year to help the country deal with potential security threats from the war in Syria, and could now act to deter any threat from Iraq.
American F-16 fighter planes that took place in the “Eager Lion” war games last year are still stationed in Jordan, along with Patriot missile batteries and American support troops.
The Americans participated earlier this month in the 2014 version of Eager Lion.
“Every time we fly with the Jordanians, we’re practicing real-world possibilities including air-to-air and air-to-ground missions,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Alex Vane. “We’re figuring out how each other operate so that if something real-world does happen, we’re able to effectively work as a team and get the mission done.”