Application failures caused by jamming
Recently, users of Jordanian positioning applications have complained that the malfunctions have become more severe as the days before Iran's attack on Israel approach. A week ago, the Israeli army strengthened its air defense system in response to Iran's threats that its senior officials in Syria were attacked. Since then, Jordan and neighboring countries have seen large-scale and long-term interruptions in global positioning system (GPS) services.
Impact of satellite jamming on civil aviation and life
Since Israel's war with the Hamas militant group in Gaza and cross-border clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon broke out in October last year, Israel has stepped up GPS jamming in the region to prevent attacks. Haitham Misto, chairman of the Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority, said that air traffic in Jordan has been affected due to GPS jamming, and aircraft have had to use alternative systems to land.
Ordinary Jordanians have also been troubled by interference, with GPS signals being spoofed, causing users to be in locations that are different from their actual locations. Driver Mohammed Saleh mentioned that the number of bookings using Uber and Careem has dropped significantly due to inaccurate locations displayed by the apps.
Troubles in tourism and daily life
Tourists in Amman, Jordan's capital, said they had difficulty walking through the city because Google Maps redirected their real-time location to Beirut or Cairo. A tourist from Italy said that due to GPS signal jammer interference, they now prefer to call a taxi directly on the road.
Jordanian cybersecurity expert Majidi Kabarin said that Israel is working with multiple countries to carry out large-scale interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), focusing on drone guidance systems in Yemen, Palestine and Lebanon.
Official response and security alert
Nedar Alsamara, director of the Radio Spectrum Management Bureau of the Jordanian Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, said that Jordan has contacted Israel about GPS spoofing and is still waiting for a response. Jordan has been on high alert since Iran launched its unprecedented attack on Israel and has stepped up its air operations to prevent aerial incursions.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has warned that Israel’s retaliation for Iran’s attack could drag the entire region into a devastating war. He said Jordan has been lobbying major powers to prevent an escalation, stressing the dangers of the situation and the risk of a potential regional explosion.
“We have to make sure that things don’t escalate further. It would be devastating for our region and would have very serious implications for the rest of the world, including the United States,” Mr. Safadi noted.