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Jordan Conducts Airstrikes on Alleged Drug Labs in Syria's Suwayda Province
Jordanian air forces targeted drug production sites in Syria's Suwayda province on May 4, 2026, amid concerns over the Captagon trade. The strikes hit facilities linked to a local militia, with Jordanian officials citing coordination with Syria's new government. The action highlights ongoing regional efforts to curb narcotics smuggling across borders.
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Jordanian fighter jets carried out strikes on factories and laboratories for narcotics in southern Syria on May 4, 2026. The attacks focused on sites in Suwayda province, which borders Jordan and has emerged as a key hub for the production of Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine.
Al Jazeera reported that the multibillion-dollar Captagon industry has found a new haven in the province, shifting from its historical links to Iranian-aligned armed groups in Deraa.
The air attacks targeted sites associated with the National Guard, a militia loyal to Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, an influential figure within Syria’s Druze minority, an offshoot of Shia Islam. Elements linked to the National Guard have established drug manufacturing labs and warehouses in Suwayda province, according to a report by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories cited by Al Jazeera.
The group also operates smuggling rings beyond Syria’s borders, with criminal elements in Syria using drones to deliver contraband over the border.
Suwayda province has remained largely outside government control since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The National Guard stands as the group in Suwayda most strongly opposed to new President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. Clashes between the Syrian military and Druze militias backed by Israel occurred in 2025, further entrenching the province's isolation.
Colonel Abdullah al-Sarhan, a retired Jordanian pilot, described Sunday’s strikes as preemptive. 'The best defence is a good offence,' al-Sarhan told Al Jazeera Arabic. He argued that air strikes were required by Jordan to curb the drug trade, noting that Captagon labs in Suwayda are shielded by difficult terrain.
