Jordan Conducts Strikes in Syria After Deadly Karak Church Attack

Jordanian military aircraft struck sites in southern Syria that the Jordanian Armed Forces described as militant locations, in response to a deadly church shooting. The military operation followed the arrest of three suspects in Jordan after an assault during a funeral at the Greek Orthodox St. George's Church in the village of Hammoud, which left nine people dead and 34 wounded.

Syrian civil defence officials said seven people were killed across the Daraa and Suwayda provinces during the strikes. In response to the aerial bombardment, customs authorities in Syria closed the Nassib border crossing, shutting down the primary commercial and passenger transit route between the two neighboring states.

According to the Middle East Institute, Jordan first bombed suspected smuggling locations inside southern Syria in May 2023, including al-Shaab village and a water-treatment facility between Daraa and Kharab al-Shahm.

Royal Air Force Bombardment in Southern Syrian Provinces

In a public post on social media, the Jordanian Armed Forces stated that Royal Air Force fighter jets struck several militant sites and destroyed multiple transport vehicles in southeastern Syria. Jordanian security authorities stated that the strikes targeted militant factions linked to the suspects detained in connection with the Karak church assault. The Times of India reported that Jordanian authorities said more than 20 Islamic State militants were killed; it also reported that Jordanian officials regretted civilian casualties.

Damascus offered a conflicting account of the cross-border operation. Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the strikes were carried out without prior notification or coordination, describing the event as a treacherous assault. Syria's Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management deployed emergency teams to four impact locations, while Syrian civil defense workers recovered bodies from the rubble.

Civilian Casualties and Border Crossing Closure

Syrian civil defence officials said three members of a family were injured when a strike hit a tent in al-Taff, where five other relatives were killed. In the rural al-Shayah farming area near Nassib, an eighty-year-old man named Riyad Karrad was killed at a farm, and his body was transported to Daraa National Hospital.

A strike also hit a house in Muzayrib in western Daraa without reported casualties. Following the strikes, Syrian authorities ordered the complete suspension of passenger and commercial traffic at the Nassib border crossing to protect travelers and personnel.

Investigation and Suspect Arrests in Karak

Hours before the Syrian strikes, Jordanian security forces arrested three men after a confrontation at an abandoned building in Karak, according to Al Jazeera. Jordan's Public Security Directorate identified the captured men as brothers Hazza Zaidan Mohammed and Meshal Zaidan Mohammed, alongside their relative Ahmad Sami Hussein.

According to Petra News Agency, King Abdullah II directed a review of policies aimed at countering extremist ideology during a National Security Council meeting.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya told state-affiliated television that the three detainees were Jordanian nationals who barricaded themselves in a structure near the shooting location. Al-Faraya explained that authorities had opened an inquiry into circumstances driving youth toward extremist ideology, while noting there were no current indications of links to foreign networks.

Memorial Services and Regional Border Friction

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared a three-day national mourning period across Jordan, ordering government flags flown at half-mast. Eight funeral attendees were buried on Sunday adjacent to the St. George's Church in Hammoud, while the ninth victim, Mohammed al-Qasous, was laid to rest in south Amman on Monday.

Jordan has conducted multiple cross-border air operations in southern Syria since 2023, stating that flights targeted regional narcotics and weapons smuggling rings. Human Rights Watch previously called for scrutiny over cross-border air raids that resulted in civilian casualties in January 2024. Syrian diplomats stated that Damascus opened direct communication channels with Amman to examine the circumstances of the strikes while seeking to preserve Syrian sovereignty.