Amid growing tension stemming from Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, fears are rising that Jordan will be increasingly drawn into the conflict’s complex regional dynamics. The Hashemite kingdom is a long-standing ally of the United States, and has observed a peace treaty with Israel—Iran’s arch-rival—for three decades. These ties have put Jordan in the crosshairs of Iran-backed ‘resistance’ groups in Iraq who have sought to pressure Amman over its perceived tacit support for Tel Aviv’s war effort.

As the Gaza war erupted in Oct. 2023, over 800 Iraqi protesters—allegedly associated with the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Units (PMU)—gathered at the Turaibil border crossing between Iraq and Jordan. The Iraqis called for...