Jordan denies evacuation of Aqaba airport and port, calls reports false

AMMAN, Jordan — Jordanian officials on Tuesday firmly rejected reports that King Hussein International Airport and the Aqaba seaport had been evacuated or shut down. The head of the Aqaba Ports Management and Operations Company, Mahmoud Khalifa, said loading and unloading operations at the seaport were continuing without interruption and that no evacuation had taken place. A responsible source also said operations at King Hussein International Airport were proceeding normally and that claims of an evacuation did not reflect reality. The Minister of Government Communication said the relevant authorities had not issued any evacuation order for the airport or the port and that both facilities were operating as usual. The minister added that no specific threat had been communicated to Jordanian authorities in recent hours. She also stressed that any warnings regarding potential risks would only be issued by Jordan's competent bodies and in line with established procedures. The Jordanian statements followed reports attributed to the U.S. Embassy in Amman alleging a "specific and credible" threat, which prompted claims that Jordan had evacuated its airport and port. No further details were immediately available.