Jordan: Fire Breaks Out at Military Munitions Depot

A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP
A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP
TT
20

Jordan: Fire Breaks Out at Military Munitions Depot

A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP
A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP

A huge explosion rocked a Jordanian military arms depot early Friday sparking a large fire at the base located in an uninhabited area.

The blast was accidental and likely caused by a chemical reaction inside a shell amid a blistering heatwave in the desert country, according to the millitary.

"An explosion occurred in the early hours of Friday ... in a warehouse containing unusable mortar bombs belonging to the armed forces," government spokesman Amjad al-Adaileh said in a statement.

The army said there were no casualties. The blast happened in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of the capital Amman, where several Jordanian bases and depots are located.

Images which swiftly spread on social media showed a huge ball of flames rising into the night sky, followed by several more explosions, AFP reported.

The army, which closed off the area, acknowledged that there had been an explosion "in one of the ammunition depots which is being dismantled near the city of Zarqa".

Preliminary findings indicated that "the explosion was due to high temperatures provoking a chemical reaction in a shell", the military said in a statement.

Jordan has over the past week seen temperatures soar above 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions.

The area around the explosion has been "completely combed to ensure that there is no further danger, and the situation is under control," General Imad al-Khamaysseh told state television.

Zarqa governorate, which has a population of about 1.5 million, has witnessed several explosions in past years, mainly caused by old munitions and fires in warehouses. It is also home to many factories and a free trade zone.

The explosion came only days after Jordan revealed plans to reinstate military service for unemployed men between the ages of 25 and 29.



Hamas Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Iran Has No Role in Gaza War Negotiations

This picture, taken from a position on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, shows destroyed buildings in the besieged Palestinian territory on June 11, 2025. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)
This picture, taken from a position on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, shows destroyed buildings in the besieged Palestinian territory on June 11, 2025. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)
TT
20

Hamas Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Iran Has No Role in Gaza War Negotiations

This picture, taken from a position on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, shows destroyed buildings in the besieged Palestinian territory on June 11, 2025. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)
This picture, taken from a position on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, shows destroyed buildings in the besieged Palestinian territory on June 11, 2025. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)

US President Donald Trump surprised many parties after announcing on Monday that Iran was involved in negotiations aimed at arranging a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas.

"Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved, and we'll see what's going to happen with Gaza. We want to get the hostages back," Trump said.

The United States has proposed a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it would abide by the terms but Hamas thus far has rejected the plan.

Under the proposal 28 Israeli hostages - alive and dead - would be released in the first week, in exchange for the release of 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 dead Palestinians.

The United States and Iran are also separately trying to negotiate a deal on Tehran's nuclear program.

Despite Trump’s claims on Monday, Hamas sources denied Iran having a role in the negotiations aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip.

A senior Hamas official, who was not identified, told Asharq Al-Awsat that "Iran has not intervened directly in the negotiations in any way, nor has it asked the (Palestinian) movement to make any concessions or exerted pressure on it."

The source explained that Iran’s connection to the negotiations is "primarily related to following up on the negotiations, by being informed about whether an agreement is near, without being involved in further details."

The source also stressed that the information shared with Iran is also shared with "some countries and Palestinian factions, including Fatah at times, especially when there are serious steps that could lead to a near agreement."

Other Hamas sources also denied any Iranian role in the negotiations, saying "Tehran does not have close relations with Israel or the United States that would allow it to intervene, despite the ongoing (nuclear) negotiations between it and the US administration."

When Asharq Al-Awsat asked several Hamas sources whether the United States had asked Iran to pressure the movement to change its positions, the sources unanimously responded that they "had no knowledge of such a matter."

Israeli sources have also been quick to deny any Iranian role in the negotiations to end the Gaza war, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.