Jordan Bombs Syrian Village After Karak Church Attacks

Jordanian fighter jets struck a village in Syria’s Daraa province on Monday, marking a direct military response to a shooting that killed nine people at a funeral in Jordan last Friday.

The sequence of events began on Friday when gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, killing nine and injuring 34. On Monday, before dawn, Jordanian security forces arrested three men, identified as two brothers and their brother-in-law, who were hiding in an abandoned house near the church. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya confirmed on state television that all three attackers were Jordanian nationals.

Following the arrests, Jordan launched its air strike. The military stated it targeted “terrorist organisations” and claimed to have killed and wounded several combatants. Syrian health officials provided a different count, reporting five deaths, including women, children, and an elderly man.

The strike created immediate diplomatic friction. Syrian authorities said they had not been notified of the attack, despite Jordan’s claim of coordination with the Syrian government. In reaction, Syria closed the Nassib border crossing, the only passenger and commercial link between the two countries. Officials suspended all traffic in both directions to protect workers and travellers.

Syrian authorities stated they opened direct communication channels with Jordan and launched an investigation into the targeting. The closure of Nassib halts the flow of goods and people across the border as both nations weigh the impact of the strike on their relations.