Jordan bombs Syria after arrests in Karak church shooting

Syrian health officials confirmed five people died in a village in the southern Daraa province after Jordanian fighter jets struck the area on Monday. The victims included women, children, and an elderly man, according to state media reports.

Jordan’s military stated that the jets targeted "terrorist organisations" in a retaliatory move. The country said it coordinated the operation with the Syrian government, although Damascus later claimed it had not been notified of the specific attack.

The strikes followed a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church funeral in Karak on Friday. That attack killed nine people and left 34 others injured. Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects on Monday, including two brothers and their brother-in-law, who were hiding in an abandoned house near the site.

Mazen al-Faraya, Jordan’s Interior Minister, told state-affiliated television that all three attackers were Jordanians. He described them as having been holed up in a building in a village close to where the funeral took place. The Public Security Directorate labeled the men "terrorists" in its release.

In response to the airstrikes, Syrian authorities closed the Nassib border crossing, the only passenger and commercial point of entry between the two countries. They suspended all traffic in both directions to protect travelers and workers. Syrian officials also said they opened direct communication channels with Jordan and began comprehensive investigations into the targeting circumstances.