Jordan Conducts Airstrikes on Alleged Drug Labs in Syria's Suwayda Province

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.

A Jordanian government source told Al Jazeera that Sunday’s operation was conducted in full coordination with the new Syrian authorities. Abu Nowar added that the strikes serve as a deterrent to drug cartels and external actors. 'It is a message to those within Suwayda cooperating with Israel and to Israel itself: do not attempt any future projects on our borders.

Jordan will not hesitate to strike these nests,' Abu Nowar told Al Jazeera. Israeli officials have positioned themselves as protectors of Syria’s Druze community. Israel carried out attacks on government forces during clashes in Suwayda between the military and armed groups linked to al-Hijri.

In early March 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to advance the Israeli military to the outskirts of Damascus. In July 2025, the US State Department publicly criticised Israeli air strikes in southern Syria. The US State Department called for diplomatic engagement and urged the Syrian government to lead towards stability.

Much of Suwayda province remains outside government control, with the drug trade posing a threat to regional stability. The Syrian government under President Ahmed Al-Sharaa views the National Guard’s autonomy as a challenge to state sovereignty. Jordan has framed the strikes as part of broader efforts to dismantle the Captagon infrastructure, aligning with Damascus to secure borders and halt smuggling.