October 7 can now be seen as one shot in a larger multi-front war

A terrorist attack at the Allenby Crossing between Israel and Jordan is a serious development, illustrating the growing terror threat that is emerging in the West Bank and may also be spreading to the Kingdom of Jordan. Three people were killed in the attack on Sunday morning, September 8.

The IDF reported that the assailant exited his vehicle and opened fire at the guards in the cargo terminal, in the inspection area before crossing into Israel. The director of the crossing, Alex Chen, said the shooter was a Jordanian citizen.

The attack at the Allenby Crossing comes a week after another attack which killed three Israeli police officers near Tarkumiya, a major crossing point for trade items and workers crossing from the West Bank into Israel.

While the attacks are unlikely to be connected, both are part of the growing terror wave that crested on October 7 with the Hamas massacre. The October 7 attack can now be seen as one shot in this much larger multi-front war.

Iran is behind some of the activities designed to destabilise the Kingdom of Jordan and use it to move weapons and threats closer to Israel. Iran does this via Iraq and Syria. Iran also backs gangs in Syria that smuggle drugs.

Some 14,000 Palestinians cross the Allenby (King Hussein) crossing daily and 250,000 workers rely on the crossing to transfer goods and import raw materials for industry.

Jordan sealed their side of the border after the attack and launched an investigation, while Israel closed all land border crossings between the two countries.

Officials from Israel and Jordan were in conversation in their investigations. A Jordanian official told Reuters that authorities in Amman have launched a probe into what he described as a "shooting incident" on the Israeli side of the border crossing.

Despite contact by the two sides, tensions remain high: former Jordanian Information Minister Samih Al-Maaytah told Al-Arabiya, "The attack at the Allenby Bridge crossing was expected due to the ongoing Israeli escalation against the Palestinians".

In Jordan, sweets were handed out on the streets in celebration of the killing of Israelis. Similar celebrations were seen in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Israeli forces have withdrawn from Jenin city and its refugee camp in the occupied West Bank after a major nine-day operation there.

The area – a stronghold of militants and with a civilian population of about 60,000 – was targeted in one of the Israel Defence Forces' biggest actions in the West Bank for years.

The counter-terrorism operation in the northern West Bank was the deadliest of its kind since the start of the war in Gaza last October triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel. At least 36 Palestinians were killed, the Palestinian health ministry says. Most of the dead have been claimed by armed groups as members, but the ministry says children are also among those killed. An Israeli soldier was also killed during fighting in Jenin.

The operation was focused in the Jenin area but also included the city of Tubas and al-Faraa refugee camp were also raided.

Hundreds of troops from several branches of the security forces were involved, with civilians confined to their homes and utilities cut as the Israeli military battled with militants on the ground and with air strikes.

Also on Friday in the West Bank, a 26-year-old American woman, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, was shot dead in the occupied West Bank during a protest in the town of Beita near Nablus.

READ MORE

Terror threat on Israel expands beyond Gaza, West Bank into Jordan (Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post)

Jordanian gunman kills three Israelis in shooting attack at border crossing (Haaretz)

West Bank border crossing to Jordan, Palestinians' gateway to the world (Ynet)

Israeli forces pull out of Jenin after major operation (BBC)