Jordan launches airstrikes against drug smugglers in Druze-majority Syrian province of Suweida

Jordan carried out airstrikes on the Druze-majority southern Syrian province of Suweida on Wednesday evening, targeting sites used by arms and drug traffickers who carry out smuggling operations into Jordanian territory.

Local sources told The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Jordanian strikes targeted sites around the village of Al-Shaab in the southeast of the province, as well as sites around the town of Umm Rumman in the southwest.

A farm on the road connecting the villages of Khazma and Malih was also targeted - it had reportedly been used to store narcotic substances.

The Jordanian Armed Forces said on their official website that the strikes destroyed the designated sites “based on precise intelligence information and in coordination with regional partners.”

Suweida province is controlled by local Druze militias opposed to the Syrian government in Damascus.

In a statement on Thursday, the Suweida “National Guard” – the Druze militia which dominates the province – said that the Jordanian army had only targeted smuggling facilities, without attacking any “National Guard” site.

The Jordanian army said that they “neutralized a number of arms and drug traffickers who organize weapons and narcotics smuggling operations into Jordanian territory”.

However, it was not clear if there were any casualties from the strikes.

They warned that they will “continue to confront any threats with force, at the appropriate time and place”.

In an earlier statement on Sunday, the Jordanian army said it was dealing with a number of groups operating to smuggle weapons and narcotics from Suweida to Jordan.

It said it was “conducting an operational and intelligence assessment of the situation to neutralize these groups, confront them, and prevent all forms of infiltration and smuggling of weapons and drugs.”

The Jordanian army says its forces have thwarted a total of 593 smuggling and infiltration attempts from January to October 2025 and seized 85 weapons and over 11 million narcotic pills.

These attempts have included the use of drones and guided balloons.