Jordan and Syria tout close ties, but border smuggling and strikes tell another story – analysis

A church attack in Karak, a Jordanian strike in southern Syria and a foiled 2 million-pill smuggling run have raised tensions in a region that also borders Israel’s Golan.

Follow us on Google

Mourners attend the funeral of four members of the same family, including three children, who were killed in a reported Jordanian airstrike in the town of Al-Mismiyah, in Syria's southern Daraa province, October 27, 2026. (photo credit: REUTERS/KHALIL ASHAWI)BySETH J. FRANTZMANNOVEMBER 1, 2026 20:10

In the last week, tensions between Jordan and Syria appear to have grown. This came in the wake of an attack on a church in Karak and a Jordanian airstrike on a terror cell in southern Syria. This matters to Israel because southern Syria borders both Jordan and Israel’s Golan. In addition, Israel has been carrying out raids into Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. What might come next?

According to Jordanian authorities, the “foiled an attempt to smuggle 2 million narcotic pills through the Jaber border crossing with Syria, the Public Security Directorate (PSD) said on Sunday,” Jordan Times noted. “The operation was carried out by Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) personnel at the border crossing in coordination with the Customs Department and other security agencies.”

According to a PSD statement, authorities intercepted a suspicious cargo truck as it attempted to enter the country, following intelligence received about the vehicle.

The Jordanians found 2 million narcotic pills. This is not the first time. Jordan has been concerned about drug smuggling from Syria for years. During the Assad regime, the regime backed drug smuggling. These days, the government in Syria does not support the smuggling, but the smugglers still exist. Some have said that smuggling routes stretch through and exploit the area of Sweida in southern Syria because of clashes between the Druze in Sweida and the government.

Meanwhile, Karak Police on Saturday seized nine automatic firearms and GPS devices after a suspicious bag was found in the Muhi area, according to Public Security Directorate (PSD) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Amer Sartawi, Jordanian media said. “Sartawi said that the bag had been carried by thermal balloons and preliminary investigations indicated that it had drifted with the wind from the Kingdom's southern border, adding that investigations are ongoing.” This shows how there are various security concerns across Jordan. In the past, there have been smuggling attempts from Jordan into Israel. Israel has increased its border security in the Jordan Valley in the last several years.

War and peace in Syria

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani has said that Syria and Jordan maintain strategic relations and close security and military cooperation aimed at safeguarding their shared border and ensuring regional stability, Jordan media also noted. Al-Shaibani made the comments at the 22nd Manama Dialogue events in Bahrain.

Jordan Times noted that the top Syrian diplomat said, “The region faces growing challenges from cross-border militias and armed groups operating outside state institutions, undermining governments' authority over decisions of war and peace.”

"Syria has moved beyond the trenches of conflict to take its place in shaping regional security," the Syrian added. Al-Shaibani had also visited southern Syria last week and made similar comments. Al-Shaibani has argued that “Syrian-Jordanian relations are at their strongest in a century, stressing that the incident would not undermine ties between the neighboring countries.” He added, “Jordan’s security is part of Syria’s security, and Syria’s security is part of Jordan’s security.”

A century of ties and tensions

Syria and Jordan share a long history shaped by the Arab Revolt, competing political ambitions and recurring security crises. Their relationship dates back to the First World War, when the Hashemite-led Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire helped pave the way for Arab forces to enter Damascus in 1918.

Prince Faisal briefly ruled Syria before the French expelled him in 1920. His brother Abdullah subsequently established the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921. Faisal ended up ruling Iraq. The division of the region under British and French mandates left the two countries with close historical ties but different political trajectories.

Relations were frequently tense during the Cold War. In September 1970, Syria sent armored forces into Jordan during the kingdom's civil war, known as Black September, supporting Palestinian terrorist groups that attacked Jordanian King Hussein's forces. The intervention failed, but it left a lasting legacy of mistrust between Damascus and Amman. At the time, Israel quietly backed Jordan. Jordan and Israel agreed to a peace deal in 1994.

Relations improved periodically, particularly after Bashar al-Assad and King Abdullah II came to power. The Syrian civil war, beginning in 2011, created new challenges. Jordan hosted hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and supported some opposition groups in southern Syria. However, Amman later sought to restore relations with Assad, reopening border trade and pursuing security cooperation.

Drug trafficking, particularly captagon smuggling, and Iranian-backed militias operating in southern Syria remained major concerns. Following Assad's fall in December 2024, Jordan moved to engage Syria's new government under Ahmad al-Sharaa. Nevertheless, instability in Daraa and Sweida, cross-border smuggling, and the threat of armed groups continue to complicate relations. For Jordan, the priority remains a stable Syrian neighbor that can secure its borders and prevent regional conflicts from spilling into the kingdom.

Follow us on Google

---