Not just ISIS terror, US' Arab ally cites new security risks, launches air assaults on South Syria

Jordan carried out a series of precision airstrikes in southern Syria, targeting drug trafficking networks and narcotics storage sites near the border, according to the Jordanian army. The strikes, launched on December 23, focused on locations in As Suwayda used to store Captagon before it was smuggled into Jordan. Officials said the operation was coordinated with regional partners as part of efforts to counter rising security threats. Witnesses described powerful explosions across nearby areas. Captagon trafficking has grown into a major cross border trade and was previously a key funding source for the Syrian regime. Syrian residents, however, raised concerns about civilian safety and infrastructure damage.