In brief
Jordan's military claims its planes hit “terrorist organisations’’ in the Daraa province of Syria, killing five civilians amid a backdrop of a tragic Greek Orthodox church attack that left nine dead. Syrian health officials report the strike took place in a southern village, while Jordan cites coordination with Syria—though the Syrian side says it was not notified beforehand. In response, Syria shut the sole passenger crossing with Jordan, suspending all traffic and opening direct communication channels. Jordan’s interior ministry says the gunmen were Jordanian nationals, arrested in Karak. The clash underscores mounting tensions in the region following the church shooting.
Jordan Retaliates for Church Attack with Syrian Strike
Jordan's military says its fighter jets targeted what it called “terrorist organisations” in southern Syria’s Daraa province after a gunmen’s attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, that killed nine people and wounded dozens. Syrian health authorities report the strike killed five civilians—women, children and an elderly man—in a village near the border. Jordan claims it coordinated the operation with the Syrian government, but Syrian officials say they were not warned before the attack.
The bombing comes amid heightened tensions, following the previous Friday church shooting. In response, Syria shut the Nassib border crossing with Jordan, suspending all passenger and commercial traffic and opening direct communication channels to investigate the incident. Both sides are holding investigations to clarify the military targeting and to navigate the post‑attack fallout.
Jordan’s Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya confirmed that attackers were Jordanians who had been detained in Karak after the church incident. The Public Security Directorate said the suspects were discovered in an abandoned house early Monday. The incident underscores the fragile security environment in the region and the rapid escalation from civilian acts of violence to military strikes across borders.
