Jordan strikes Syria after deadly Church attack kills nine

Jordan has launched airstrikes against suspected militant positions in neighbouring Syria following a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church that killed nine people, as authorities arrested three suspects accused of carrying out the killings.

The Jordanian military said its air force struck several positions belonging to what it described as “terrorist organisations” on Monday, targeting groups allegedly linked to the perpetrators of Friday’s attack in southern Jordan.

The strikes reportedly killed and wounded numerous members of the targeted groups. However, Syrian authorities reported civilian casualties, highlighting the risks of the retaliatory operation.

Health officials in Syria’s Daraa province said six people, including three children and a woman, were killed in the airstrikes. Syria’s civil defence agency, known as the White Helmets, reported seven deaths in total, including one person in neighbouring Sweida province.

The developments came hours after Jordanian security forces arrested three men accused of carrying out the attack on St George’s Church in the village of Hammoud in Karak governorate.

Three suspects arrested after armed confrontation

Jordan’s Director of Public Security, Major General Abdullah al-Maaytah, identified the suspects as Hazza Zaidan Mohammed, Meshal Zaidan Mohammed and Ahmad Sami Hussein.

According to officials, two of the suspects are brothers, while the third is related to them by marriage. Security forces tracked the men to an abandoned house, where they barricaded themselves and opened fire on officers.

All three suspects were injured during the confrontation and taken to hospital for treatment, Maaytah said. One was reportedly in critical condition, according to Jordan’s state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka.

No security personnel were reported killed or injured during the operation. Authorities also seized weapons and a large quantity of ammunition from the suspects.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said the accused were all Jordanian nationals and had been hiding in a building in a village near the site of the attack. He added that investigators had found no indication of foreign involvement or collaboration.

King vows punishment for attackers

Jordan’s King Abdullah II vowed that those responsible would face justice, saying security forces had pursued the suspects until their capture.

“We vowed the terrorists would not escape punishment,” the king wrote on X, adding that ideologies seeking to divide Jordanians would not be tolerated.

The monarch had earlier visited wounded victims in hospital and vowed a strong response against those responsible.

Government Communications Minister Mohammad al-Momani also warned that Jordan would respond firmly to any attempt to undermine national security.

Church attack sparks national mourning

Friday’s attack occurred during a funeral service at St George’s Church in Karak, where gunmen killed nine people. The incident shocked a country where attacks on places of worship are rare.

Christians account for approximately two to three per cent of Jordan’s predominantly Muslim population, with Karak home to a significant Christian community.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-mast at government buildings and public institutions.

Eight victims were buried beside the church on Sunday, while the ninth victim, Mohammed al-Qasous, was laid to rest in southern Amman on Monday.

The arrests and subsequent airstrikes mark a significant escalation in Jordan’s response to the killings, while the reported civilian deaths in Syria raise fresh concerns about the consequences of cross-border military retaliation.