Why Jordan has struck Syria: What we know

What the report says

Jordan said its air force carried out strikes in southern Syria on Oct. 27, 2026, describing the targets as “terrorist” sites linked to suspects accused in a deadly church attack in Jordan. The operation came days after an attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate killed nine people, prompting a major security response and arrests in Jordan. The Jordanian military said the strikes damaged vehicles and killed or wounded members of armed groups, but it did not name exact locations or give casualty figures.

Syria rejected Jordan’s account and said the raids happened without prior coordination or notification. Syrian officials called the attack a violation of sovereignty and said civilians were among the dead. According to Syrian authorities cited by Al Jazeera, seven people were killed in strikes on several sites in Deraa and Suwayda countryside, including a family in a tent area near al-Taff and an older man in the al-Shayah farms area. Syrian rescue teams also reported damage in other towns, and the Nassib border crossing with Jordan was closed afterward.

Al Jazeera noted that Jordan said the strikes were retaliatory and tied to the church attack, while Syria said it was working through diplomatic channels to address the aftermath. The episode fits a broader pattern of Jordanian cross-border strikes in Syria since 2023, which Amman has said are aimed at smugglers and armed groups, though some past operations have drawn criticism when civilians were reported killed.