Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Aqaba airport and seaport

The Foreign Office last night issued advice against all but essential travel to Aqaba international airport and seaport in Jordan amid escalating attacks between the US and Iran.

Three Iranian missiles were reportedly shot down by Jordan’s military and a fourth fell in a remote area, the country’s state news agency reported. It followed a US warning that the Red Sea port of Aqaba could be targeted. 

Jordan summoned Iran’s charges d’affaires in Amman to demand an immediate end to what the foreign ministry called "unjustified and blatant Iranian attacks", insisting that its security was "a red line that cannot be crossed", the BBC reported.

Israel’s military meanwhile said that "several interceptors were launched toward missile debris in order to prevent debris impact within Israeli territory" after projectiles were launched towards Jordan.

It said "interceptor fragments" were subsequently identified near the southern city of Eilat, near the countries’ shared border, with no damage or injuries reported.

Washington and Tehran struck a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war which began on February 28 in June, but US president Donald Trump declared the agreement "over" on July 8.

Issuing its latest travel advice for Jordan, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) said: “The situation remains unpredictable. Iran has carried out further attacks on Jordan since the MOU was agreed, and could do so again at short notice.

“Iran has previously targeted civilian infrastructure across the region such as ports, hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems and airports.”