Jordanian jets kill five in Syria after church shooting arrests

Five people died in a Jordanian airstrike on a village in Syria's southern Daraa province on Monday. Syrian health officials told state media that the victims included women, children, and an elderly man.

The strike targeted what the Jordanian military described as terrorist organizations. Jordan said its fighter jets killed and wounded several terrorists but did not provide a specific body count. The operation was framed as retaliation for a shooting at a Christian funeral in Karak last Friday that left nine people dead and 34 others injured.

Jordan stated it coordinated the attack with the Syrian government. Syria disputed this, claiming it was not notified of the Monday strike. In response, Syrian authorities closed the Nassib border crossing. They suspended all passenger and commercial traffic in both directions to ensure safety for travelers and workers.

Syrian officials said they opened direct communication channels with Jordan and launched investigations into the targeting. Jordan's Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya told state-affiliated television that the attackers in the Karak church were all Jordanian nationals. He said they had been holed up in a building near the attack site.

Senior security officials in Jordan announced earlier on Monday that authorities had arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law. The Public Security Directorate reported finding the men hiding in an abandoned house in Karak before dawn. They have not named the suspects.

The Nassib crossing is the only passenger and commercial link between the two countries. Syria said the suspension was a measure to protect those moving through the checkpoint while investigations continue.