Syria Closes Border After Jordan Strike

Syrian health officials confirmed on Monday that five people died in a Jordanian airstrike on a village in the southern Daraa province. The casualties included women, children, and an elderly man. Jordanian fighter jets targeted what the military described as terrorist organizations in retaliation for a shooting at a Christian funeral.

The violence escalated rapidly over the past week. On Friday, gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak. The attack left nine people dead and 34 others injured. Early Monday morning, Jordanian security forces raided an abandoned house in the same area and arrested three suspects. The Public Security Directorate identified the men as two brothers and their brother-in-law. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya told state-affiliated television that all three attackers were Jordanians and had been hiding in a building near the attack site.

Following the arrests, Jordan launched its retaliatory strike. The Jordanian military stated it coordinated the operation with the Syrian government. However, Syrian officials later said they had not received notification of the attack before it began. Jordan said its jets killed and wounded several terrorists but did not provide specific numbers for the Syrian side.

In immediate response, Syria closed the Nassib border crossing, the only passenger and commercial point of entry between the two nations. Syrian authorities announced the complete suspension of traffic in both directions to protect travelers and workers. The government stated it opened direct communication channels with Jordanian officials and launched comprehensive investigations to determine the full circumstances of the targeting.