Jordan Asks US to Deploy Patriot Air Defense Systems

Jordan asked the US to deploy Patriot air defense systems to bolster its border defense during heightened regional tensions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Jordan asked the US to deploy Patriot air defense systems to bolster its border defense during heightened regional tensions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Jordan Asks US to Deploy Patriot Air Defense Systems

Jordan asked the US to deploy Patriot air defense systems to bolster its border defense during heightened regional tensions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Jordan asked the US to deploy Patriot air defense systems to bolster its border defense during heightened regional tensions. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Jordan asked the US to deploy Patriot air defense systems to bolster its border defense during heightened regional tensions and conflict, the spokesperson for the country's army said.

Jordan's army spokesperson Brigadier General Mustafa Hiyari told state television that the kingdom asked the US to help boost the defense system and provide more aid to tackle drones.

"The drones have become a threat on all our fronts," Hiyari said.

Earlier, a Jordanian military source denied reports that the US was using its Jordan bases to supply Tel Aviv with ammunition and transport some of the equipment from its depots to bolster Israel's defenses in its war in Gaza, as reported by the Arab News Agency.

The Jordanian News Agency quoted a source at the General Command of the Armed Forces dismissing allegations circulating on social media that the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) bases have been used by US aircraft to supply the Israeli army with equipment and ammunition.

The source asserted that spreading and circulating such "rumors" aim to undermine Jordan's position on the Palestinian cause and damage the reputation of the armed forces.

The source pointed out that the Armed Forces Field Hospital is still receiving casualties from Gaza despite all the challenges and difficulties.

He asserted that the Royal Jordanian Air Force remains committed to delivering humanitarian and relief aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.



Argentina Withdraws from UN Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon

 UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles ride along a street amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon November 19, 2024. (Reuters)
UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles ride along a street amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon November 19, 2024. (Reuters)
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Argentina Withdraws from UN Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon

 UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles ride along a street amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon November 19, 2024. (Reuters)
UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicles ride along a street amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Marjeyoun, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon November 19, 2024. (Reuters)

Argentina has notified the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon of its withdrawal from the force, a UNIFIL spokesperson said on Tuesday, in the first sign of cracks in the unity of the mission following attacks it has blamed on Israel.

The 10,000-strong United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission is deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor the demarcation line with Israel, an area where there have been hostilities between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters for over a year.

"Argentina has asked its officers to go back (to Argentina)," UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in response to a question about a newspaper report.

He declined to comment on the reason for their departure, referring the question to Argentina's government.

Argentina is one of 48 countries contributing peacekeepers to UNIFIL, with a total of three staff currently in Lebanon, a UN website showed. It did not immediately respond to Tenenti's comments.

UNIFIL has previously referred to "unacceptable pressures being exerted on the mission through various channels".

Peacekeepers have refused to leave their posts despite more than 20 injuries in the past two months and damage to facilities which UNIFIL blames on the Israeli military.

Israel has denied such incidents are deliberate attacks. Israel says UN troops provide a human shield for Hezbollah fighters and has told UNIFIL to evacuate from southern Lebanon for its own safety - a request that the force has rejected.

Tenenti said there was no broader indication of declining support for the mission.

"The idea is to stay. So there is no discussion of withdrawing at all," he said.

He said that its monitoring activities were "very, very limited" because of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict and repairs to some of its facilities.

"We're still working on fixing some of the positions, but this has been definitely a very difficult moment, because we've been deliberately attacked by the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) in recent months, and we're doing our utmost to rebuild the areas," he said.

Israel's military did not immediately comment on Tenenti's remarks.