Air Delivered event in As-Suwayda, Um Rumman area, Syrian Arab Republic on Thu 31st August 2023

Previously we described how what's been dubbed "poor man's cocaine" at as little as $3 a pill is threatening to proliferate across the Middle East and into Europe. The synthetic stimulant Captagon has been popular for years in parts of the Middle East and North Africa, and was big during 'Arab Spring' protests, but mainstream media of late has blamed the Assad government and allied militias for its now rapid spread. Gulf countries and allies have especially stepped up the pressure on Damascus of late, accusing it of being behind state-backed trafficking which also allegedly involves Lebanese Hezbollah. On Thursday, Jordan appears to have taken the most drastic move yet to tap down on the Captagon trade, sending its air force to bomb an alleged drug factory in southern Syria, in a rare cross-border raid.