Intelligence reports gathered from surveillance drones lead some to conclude that the US and Jordanian militaries may be preparing a massive invasion of Syria.
Damascus is on high alert after some 400 American and Jordanian military vehicles were located at a Jordanian military base near the Syrian desert border yesterday (Monday), according to AMN.
At least 100 pieces of heavy military equipment have been moved to a Jordanian military base located east of Az-Zarqa, 43 km away from the Syrian border. Some of the tanks are reportedly Jordanian M60 types.
According to a Syrian Army officer in Damascus, the US-Jordanian Coalition has increased their presence at the Jordanian border in order to possibly deter advancing government forces that are pushing to the Badiyah region of southeast Homs in an important offensive launched by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the southeastern countryside of Damascus this weekend that targeted the large rebel pocket in the province, reported AMN.
“We have intelligence reports revealing the build-up of US and Jordanian forces near the border,” the officer told Al-Masdar.
The reports come as massive US forces are already in Jordan to launch a major annual military training event, "one of U.S. Central Command's premier exercises", called "Eager Lion" and dubbed by US Major General Bill Hickman, deputy commanding general for the American army in the region, the "largest and most complex to date".
About 7,400 military personnel, including representatives from Centcom headquarters and its air, land and maritime components will support the exercise scheduled for May 15-24, according to a U.S. Central Command news release.
Eager Lion 16 will consist of a week-long series of simulated scenarios to facilitate a coordinated partnered military response to conventional and unconventional threats, officials said.
The exercise scenarios will include border security, command and control, cyber defense and battlespace management, they added.
The exercise will reportedly include two US Air Force B-1B bomber aircraft, which, according to Hickman, will be “the first time ever a global strike mission” will be conducted by such long-range multi-mission bombers, according to The Times of Israel.
A Jordanian army statement said troops from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Arab Gulf region are taking part in the exercises which run to May 18, including from Britain, Japan, Kenya and Saudi Arabia.
DEBKAfile reported that Jordanian and Turkish military operations faltered in Syria after former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s exit, catching both countries in mid-offensives that Flynn authorized and planned and that were subsequently exposed to Russian strikes. If true, this may explain the timing of the SSA offensive in the midst of the ensuing confusion.