Citing an official speaking on condition of anonymity, Jordan’s Petra news agency reported on Saturday that troops from countries including the US, Britain, Bahrain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen will take part in the military exercise, dubbed “Eager Lion 2013.”

The official added that troops from “friendly countries” will come to Jordan in the coming weeks to participate in the war games.

He noted that the maneuver, which will last for two weeks, would follow a “successful” similar drill in 2012.

On May 14, Jordan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lieutenant General Mishal Mohammed Zabin met with the army chiefs of the US, France and Turkey as well as the deputy secretary-general of the NATO, Alexander Vershbow, to discuss “preparations underway for the Eager Lion exercise.”

Jordan has received bulky aid from the US in recent years. Washington has granted USD 2.4 billion (EUR 1.85 billion) in aid to Amman in the past five years, according to official figures.