Jordan launches airstrikes in Syria after deadly church shooting
Jordanian military targets suspected armed groups in southern Syria, while strikes reportedly kill seven people, including three children
AMMAN, Jordan (MNTV) — Jordan launched airstrikes in southern Syria following a deadly shooting at a church in Jordan, targeting suspected armed groups that authorities said were connected to the attack.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the strikes hit locations in Syria’s Deraa and Suwayda provinces, killing at least seven people, including three children and a woman, according to Syrian Civil Defence.
The operation heightened tensions between the neighboring countries as Syrian authorities said Jordan had conducted the strikes without prior notification or coordination.
Syrian Civil Defence reported that five members of one family were killed when a Jordanian strike hit a tent in Deraa province.
An elderly man was also reported killed in the province, while another man, aged 60, died in Suwayda. The reports did not provide a complete account of injuries or damage caused by the strikes.
Jordan’s military said the operation targeted suspected militant hideouts in southeastern Syria after investigations linked those responsible for the church shooting to armed groups operating across the border.
The military did not immediately disclose the names of the organizations targeted or provide a detailed breakdown of casualties.
Syrian authorities said the strikes had been carried out without advance coordination with Damascus. The government launched an investigation into the attacks, while the circumstances surrounding the alleged links between the church shooting suspects and armed groups in Syria remained unclear.
The operation followed a deadly shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak governorate on Friday. Nine people were killed and dozens injured when gunmen opened fire during a funeral gathering, prompting Jordanian authorities to intensify security operations and investigate possible militant involvement.
Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects following a gunfight in the village of Al-Jadeeda on Monday.
The suspects, identified as two brothers and their brother-in-law, were wounded during the confrontation, according to reports. Authorities had not announced a claim of responsibility for the church shooting.
The strikes also prompted Syrian authorities to close the Nassib border crossing, suspending passenger and commercial traffic between the two countries. The crossing is a major route for trade and travel between Jordan and southern Syria.
Jordan and Syria have sought to improve security coordination since the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
However, the latest operation highlighted persistent concerns about armed groups, cross-border threats and the risk of military escalation.
The reported civilian deaths are likely to increase pressure on both governments to clarify the circumstances of the strikes and establish whether further security operations are planned.
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