Jordan denies Iraq attack launched from its territory

Jordan’s armed forces on Monday denied that Iraq had been attacked by aircraft or drones launched from Jordanian territory, rejecting circulating claims as "false allegations with no basis in fact".

A military source at the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces said, according to the command’s official website, that reports alleging attacks on Iraq from Jordan were untrue.

"These are false allegations with no basis in fact", the source said, stressing that £Jordan’s position is firm, and it will not be a battlefield for anyone, and it will not allow any party whatsoever to threaten its citizens or the safety of its territory and airspace".

The source added that "the armed forces are taking all necessary steps to confront any attempts that would undermine the safety and stability of the homeland, and will respond firmly to any attempt to target it".

The statement came after social media accounts claimed that aircraft had taken off from US bases in the kingdom to strike targets in Iraq.

Jordan and several Gulf Arab states have in recent days been subjected to Iranian missile fire targeting what Tehran says are US bases in those countries.

Iranian officials have said the attacks are in response to what they describe as a wide-scale Israeli and US aggression against the Islamic Republic and the assassination of a number of its leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Separately, the US embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman evacuated its premises on Monday over what it described as unspecified security threats.

In a statement posted on its social media accounts on Monday evening, the embassy called on all staff to temporarily leave the compound due to a "threat or security concerns".

Jordan’s Public Security Directorate urged residents living near the US embassy to take precautionary measures if they hear warning sirens.

The directorate advised people to remain in their homes until any threat has passed, signalled by a single continuous siren, and to immediately stop their vehicles and head to the nearest building, taking shelter near stairwells until the threat ends.

It stressed that these precautionary measures are being implemented in the interest of public safety and "do not warrant panic among citizens".

Jordan has repeatedly sought to distance itself from regional escalation, emphasising that it will not allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks while also warning that it will respond firmly to any violation of its sovereignty.