Iran Downs Israeli Drones in Espionage Mission as Jordan Reopens Airspace
Iran claims downing Israeli Espionage drones near Salmas border. Jordan reopens airspace after intercepting missiles/drones amid Israel-Iran clashes. Regional tensions remain high.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iranian state television reported on Saturday that the country's air defense units shot down multiple Israeli drones engaged in a “reconnaissance and espionage mission” over northwest Iran.
According to the report, the drones entered Iranian airspace in the border region of Salmas before being targeted and brought down by Iranian forces.
“The drones violated Iranian airspace in a mission of espionage and surveillance,” the official broadcaster stated, without specifying the number of drones involved or detailing the nature of their equipment.
Jordan Reopens Skies After Airspace Intrusion
Meanwhile, the Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission announced the reopening of the country's airspace at 7:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, one day after suspending flights due to heightened regional hostilities.
Captain Haitham Misto, Chairman of the Commission’s Board of Commissioners, confirmed that civilian air traffic was now permitted to resume.
The closure came after the Royal Jordanian Air Force and national air defense systems intercepted a number of missiles and drones that had breached Jordanian airspace on Friday morning.
“The Royal Jordanian Air Force is operating at the highest level of readiness to safeguard the skies of the Hashemite Kingdom and ensure the safety of the homeland and its citizens,” a senior military official told Jordan's state-run Petra News Agency.
The official emphasized that the interception was a response to military assessments predicting that some of the projectiles could impact Jordanian territory, including populated areas.
“The Jordanian Armed Forces are on 24-hour alert to protect the Kingdom’s borders by land, sea, and air, and will not tolerate any violation of national airspace,” the official added, urging citizens to rely on official sources for information and to avoid spreading rumors that may incite fear or confusion.
The reopening of Jordan’s airspace follows a night of high alert across the region, with the risk of further escalation remaining high amid ongoing retaliatory actions between Israel and Iran.
