Jordan targets Syrian villages after arrests in church shooting

Jordanian jets bombed villages in southern Syria on Monday, killing at least seven people in a strike aimed at armed groups linked to a recent church attack.

The Jordanian armed forces stated the operation targeted hideouts for organizations responsible for the October 23 shooting in Karak governorate. That incident left nine dead and dozens wounded. The military said the strikes destroyed several vehicles and killed or wounded many members of these groups, though it did not name the specific factions or precise coordinates of the targets.

The Syrian defense ministry disputed the official account. In a statement, it said one Jordanian attack hit five members of a single family, including three children, a woman, and a man. Two additional strikes killed a 60-year-old man and an 80-year-old man. The Syrian government denied coordinating with Amman on the operation, despite Jordan’s claim of joint planning. Damascus launched an investigation into the cross-border strikes and emphasized the need for field security coordination in border regions.

In the aftermath, Syrian border authorities closed the Nassib crossing, suspending traffic in both directions. This site serves as Jordan’s only passenger and commercial entry point into Syria. The closure follows a tense standoff earlier Monday in the Jordanian village of Al-Jadeeda, where security forces arrested three men: two brothers and their brother-in-law.

These suspects are linked to the October 23 attack, during which three men opened fire on a Greek Orthodox church during a funeral service. The church is located approximately 90 kilometers south of Amman. The shootout in Al-Jadeeda lasted about three hours, leaving the suspects with serious injuries, according to a Jordanian government source. King Abdullah II had previously vowed the harshest penalties for those involved and ordered a review of national security procedures.

Karak governorate is home to a Christian minority population. This group constitutes roughly 300,000 of Jordan’s total population of 11.5 million. The Jordanian strikes specifically hit the southern Syrian provinces of Deraa and Suwayda.