The IDF is fundamentally changing its operational preparedness on the Jordanian border in light of an uptick in weapons smuggling from the kingdom and the fear of Iranian-backed terror attacks that may occur along it during 2024, Israel Hayom reported on Monday.
According to the report, the scenario of reference for which the IDF Central Command is preparing is an attempt by Hezbollah, or other pro-Iranian militias, to infiltrate the Jordanian border into nearby Israeli communities.
Israel's eastern border with Jordan is 309 KM (192 miles) long, and it is Israel's longest border with any of her neighbors.
In the past two years, there has been a dramatic spike in arms smuggling from Jordan into Judea and Samaria, and the IDF estimates that Iran is behind the parcels. Over 1,000 weapons of different varieties were caught along the border.
Among other things, the smugglers bring in air-soft M16 assault rifles, which have their parts switched out in Israel to allow them to fire actual bullets.
In one instance, an Iranian-made claymore mine was caught. The IDF knows that only some of the smuggling attempts are caught. This is one of the explanations for the rise in terror attacks and the availability of weapons in Judea and Samaria in the past two years.
The IDF has already doubled the scope of its forces along the border, and its 2024 work plan is even more extensive. The IDF is expected to ask the cabinet to build a barrier along the border as there is between Israel and Egypt.
In addition, watch posts will be erected, security will be increased, and additional means will be installed to contend with smuggling and foil possible terror attacks.
In recent weeks, Israeli inhabitants of the Jordan Valley have been reporting frequent sounds of gunfire from the area of the border. In light of the residents' complaints and as a lesson from the Hamas attack, the community security squads were reinforced with the goal of stopping a possible invasion.
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