In comments on developments in combating drug smuggling along the borders, military expert, retired Major General Dhaifallah Al-Dabboubi, said that Jordan is facing an “escalating security challenge” as a result of what he described as security breakdowns in some neighboring areas, noting that this situation has directly contributed to the growth of smuggling networks and their methods.

Al-Dabboubi said that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is “suffering greatly from the ongoing instability in neighboring countries, whether in southern Syria, western Iraq, or even in the south of the occupied territories,” explaining that this volatile environment has facilitated the activity of drug smuggling groups, which he described as being “supported by organizations and remnants in certain areas.”

He added that these groups “do not want Jordan to remain in a stable security situation,” and seek to undermine Jordanian societal security through drug smuggling operations, which he described as “a widespread and ongoing trade across multiple routes.”

Al-Dabboubi pointed out that smuggling sources have changed over recent years, explaining that “in earlier stages, drugs were coming from the Bekaa and Qusayr regions,” with links to armed groups at the time, before the smuggling map later shifted to include new areas.

He noted that Jordan previously dealt with smugglers in direct, field-level confrontations, where encounters took place “face to face,” but that the current phase is witnessing a qualitative shift in smuggling methods.

Regarding recent developments, Al-Dabboubi said that “technology has clearly entered the smuggling arena,” pointing to the use of drones, hydrogen-filled balloons, as well as other methods such as dropping drug-laden explosives without detonation.

He considered this shift a fundamental change in the nature of confrontation, saying there is a “theory that the place where a bullet is sent should not be where a soldier is sent,” referring to the adoption of unconventional smuggling tactics.

He added that Jordan has responded to this development by adopting a “decapitation strategy,” explaining that the security approach now targets the leaders and masterminds of smuggling networks, not just field operatives.

He said that dealing with these networks is no longer limited to border areas but extends to targeting “masterminds and drug mafias,” stressing that this is a “legitimate right of the state to defend its security,” as he put it.

Al-Dabboubi emphasized that Jordan, amid these challenges, “does not wait for danger at its borders, but deals with it proactively,” noting that security agencies have on several occasions managed to reach key leaders of smuggling networks.

He concluded by stressing that drug-related threats are now using more advanced tools, which requires continuous development of security response mechanisms to keep pace with this transformation.

His remarks came in the wake of an operation carried out by the Jordanian Armed Forces at dawn on Sunday, as part of what it described as the “Jordanian deterrence operation,” which targeted several locations belonging to weapons and drug traffickers along the northern border of the Kingdom.

The Armed Forces stated in a press release that the operation aimed to prevent the entry of drugs and weapons into Jordanian territory, noting that it targeted factories, workshops, and warehouses used as launch points for smuggling operations into the country, which were then precisely struck and destroyed.

The statement confirmed that the operation was conducted based on intelligence and operational information, with the highest levels of precision, as part of ongoing efforts to secure the borders and prevent infiltration or smuggling attempts.

It also noted that smuggling networks have begun adopting new patterns and methods, exploiting weather conditions and regional developments to carry out their operations, highlighting a significant increase in attempts to smuggle weapons and drugs in recent periods, which has posed an increasing challenge to border guard forces and supporting units.

The Jordanian Armed Forces reaffirmed that they will continue their proactive, decisive, and deterrent approach in dealing with any threat to the Kingdom’s security and sovereignty, stressing that all capabilities and resources are being utilized to protect the borders and prevent any potential breaches.