Gunshots fired near Israeli Embassy in Jordan, police block off area
Jordanian police cordoned off an area in the vicinity of the Israeli embassy in the capital, Amman, after gunshots were heard, witnesses said on Sunday.
It was later reported that the gunman was shot dead and three policemen were wounded, according to a security source who spoke to Reuters.
Two witnesses said police and ambulances rushed to the Rabiah neighborhood, where the embassy is located after sporadic gunfire was heard.
There were moments when gunfire was heard near the Israeli embassy in Amman, which has been vacant of Israeli staff for several months now. pic.twitter.com/EQ4HPIDfag
— GeoInsider (@InsiderGeo) November 24, 2024
Police called on residents to stay in their homes as security personnel conducted a search for the culprits, a security source said.
The area near the heavily policed embassy is a flashpoint for frequent demonstrations against Israel.
Tensions high in Jordan
Back in March, violent clashes between Jordanian forces and protesters erupted in the city, which included instances of stone-throwing and arson aimed at the country’s security forces.
At the time, many demonstrators chanted slogans in support of the Hamas terror group. “Oh Hamas…All of Jordan’s people are behind you,” the protesters chanted.
Following those clashes, several activists of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested, including two prominent members of the IAF’s youth sector, Moataz Al-Harout and Hamza Al-Shaghnoubi.
In 2017, an Israeli security officer at the Israeli embassy in Jordan was stabbed in the stomach by a man with a screwdriver.
This is a developing story.
Ohad Merlin contributed to this report.