Jordan’s alliance with the US makes the kingdom a target for Iranian strikes

Jordan, a staunch U.S. Ally that hosts American forces in the Mideast, has paid a cost for its relationship with Washington.

Hundreds of drone and missile attacks have continued to other strains on Jordan that include a slumping economy and volatility in the neighboring West Bank, where Israeli settlers have ramped up attacks on Palestinians.

Despite the risk of more strikes, Jordanian leaders say they are committed to maintaining the relationship after decades of courting deeper security ties with American authorities and offering to be a reliable partner with the West in a region rocked by conflict. Analysts say the alliance offers Jordan a way to guard against Iran's attempts to destabilize its neighbors.

When he cautioned that destabilization fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and multiple Israeli military campaigns in the Middle East could trigger chaos far beyond the region, king Abdullah II of Jordan seemed to acknowledge the need for such alliances last year.

"We are living through wave after wave of disruption, without pause, " he informed European lawmakers. "There is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end. That, my friends, is a threat to individuals everywhere."

Taken together, the developments around jordans alliance with the US makes the kingdom a target for Iranian point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.