Jordan Bombs Southern Syria After Karak Church Shooting

The Jordanian military conducted air strikes in southeastern Syria on Monday, targeting locations it identified as hideouts for armed groups linked to a recent church shooting in Karak governorate. Initial reports indicate that at least seven people were killed in the attacks, including a woman and several children.

The military stated that the operation aimed to eliminate terrorist organizations responsible for the violence that occurred last week. The strikes destroyed several vehicles and killed or wounded numerous group members, according to the Jordanian announcement. Authorities did not specify the exact names of the groups targeted or the precise coordinates of the impact sites.

The Jordanian government said it launched the operation in coordination with the Syrian government. However, Syria’s defense ministry disputed this claim in a statement released on Telegram. The ministry reported that one Jordanian attack struck five members of a single family, killing three children, a woman, and a man. Two additional strikes killed two elderly men, aged 60 and 80, in the southern provinces of Deraa and Suwayda.

Syrian officials have opened an investigation into the incident. In its statement, the Syrian government emphasized the need for joint field and security coordination in border regions. Following the bombardment, the Syrian border authority closed the Nassib border crossing. This suspension halted traffic in both directions at Jordan’s only passenger and commercial gateway to Syria.

The escalation follows the arrest of three men in the village of Al-Jadeeda on Monday. Jordanian security forces detained two brothers and their brother-in-law after a shootout that lasted approximately three hours. A government source told Al Jazeera that the suspects, who are believed to be involved in the October 23 church attack, sustained serious injuries during the confrontation.

The church attack occurred when three men opened fire on a Greek Orthodox church during a funeral service. The incident took place roughly 90 kilometers south of Amman. Karak governorate is home to a Christian minority of approximately 300,000 people out of Jordan’s total population of 11.5 million.

King Abdullah II pledged a stern response to the violence, ordering a review of national security procedures. The monarch stated that those responsible for the attack would face the harshest penalties available under the law.