Jordan Launches Air Strikes in Syria Following Church Attack
Jordan launched air strikes inside Syria on October 26, 2026, targeting hideouts of armed groups linked to a deadly attack on a church in Jordan. At least seven people were killed in the strikes, including a woman and children, according to Al Jazeera.
The attack took place on October 23 at a Greek Orthodox church in Al-Mushairfeh, about 90 kilometres south of the capital, Amman, in Jordan's Karak governorate. Three men were allegedly involved in opening fire on mourners during a funeral. Al Jazeera reports that the shooting killed nine people and wounded dozens more.
Jordan said the strikes were carried out in coordination with the Syrian government. Syria denied that it had coordinated the strikes in advance with the Jordanian military. Damascus has launched an investigation into the attacks and has stressed the need for joint field and security coordination in border areas.
Syria's defence ministry said one Jordanian strike killed five members of the same family, including three children, a woman and a man. Syria also said two other strikes killed a 60-year-old man and an 80-year-old man. The strikes hit the southern Syrian provinces of Deraa and Suwayda.
In Jordan, security forces arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law in the village of Al-Jadeeda on October 26 as suspects in the church attack. The arrests followed a shootout during a dawn raid.
Syria then closed the Nassib border crossing with Jordan, suspending traffic in both directions. Nassib is Jordan's only passenger and commercial border crossing with Syria.
