Jordan Launches Air Strikes in Syria Following Deadly Church Attack

OPA WIRE, Oct 27 (OPA) — Jordanian forces conducted air strikes in the Syrian provinces of Deraa and Suwayda on Monday, citing retaliation for an October 23 attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak governorate. The Jordanian military stated the operation targeted armed groups responsible for the funeral shooting that left nine people dead. While Amman claimed the strikes were coordinated with Damascus, the Syrian Ministry of Defence issued a statement on Telegram denying any such cooperation.

Initial reports indicate the strikes killed at least seven people, including a woman and three children from the same family, along with two men aged 60 and 80. The Syrian government has launched an investigation into the incident and subsequently closed the Nassib border crossing, the primary transit point for passengers and commercial goods between the two nations. The closure effectively suspends all cross-border traffic indefinitely.

Earlier on Monday, Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects—two brothers and their brother-in-law—in the village of Al-Jadeeda following a three-hour shootout. The suspects, who sustained serious injuries during the confrontation, are accused of carrying out the church attack that occurred 90km south of Amman. King Abdullah II had previously vowed a stern response to the violence, which targeted a minority Christian community that accounts for approximately 300,000 of Jordan’s 11.5 million residents.

The regional security situation remains volatile as Damascus calls for joint field and security coordination to manage border stability. The Jordanian government has not specified which militant groups were targeted or provided precise coordinates for the strikes. With the Nassib crossing shuttered and diplomatic tensions rising, the incident marks a significant escalation in cross-border military activity between the two neighbors.