The Royal Jordanian Air Force struck targets in southern Syria as part of an operation called “Jordanian Deterrence—Hamoud.” The Jordanian military described the sites as “dens of terrorist organizations” and said the action was in retaliation for the deaths of Jordanians in an attack on a church in the village of Hamoud, in al-Karak Governorate, last Friday. According to Amman, the strikes killed and wounded many militants linked to the attackers.
Syria’s emergency management authority said its teams had worked at four sites hit by airstrikes. It reported recovering the bodies of seven people—three children, three men and one woman—while three others, two men and a child, received medical care. Damascus said civilians and children were among the victims and stressed that the strikes had not been coordinated with Jordan in advance.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said it “categorically rejects” operations on Syrian territory without coordination, and reported maintaining regular contact with Jordan to establish the circumstances and reasons for the strikes. Damascus called for joint efforts that would preserve Syria’s sovereignty and the security of both countries. Against this backdrop, Syria’s General Directorate of Customs and Border Crossings announced that the Nasib crossing on the border with Jordan would close on Tuesday due to the current circumstances.
A correspondent for the Syria Now platform reported from the area around the town of al-Muzayrib on the aftermath of six Jordanian airstrikes in the western part of Daraa Governorate. According to the correspondent, reports indicated that one strike killed seven members of a single family; further casualties were reported in the border town of Nasib. Residents of one of the destroyed houses were outside when it was bombed, preventing further casualties. Internal security forces were working to dispose of an unexploded missile in al-Muzayrib.
The attack that prompted the strikes took place last Friday during a funeral near the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George in the village of Hamoud, in al-Karak Governorate. Nine people were killed and 34 wounded. Jordan’s Interior Ministry identified the perpetrators as brothers Hazza, believed to have organized and masterminded the attack, and Mishal Zaidan Mohammed, along with their relative Ahmad Sami Hussein. Jordanian authorities said all three were members of the same family, held takfiri views, acted independently and attacked the funeral attendees without prior planning.
Comments on the News
Why is the Nasib border crossing important for trade and travel between Syria and Jordan, and what are the usual effects of its closure on Syria’s southern provinces? — Nasib (known as Jaber on the Jordanian side) is the main land trade and passenger corridor between Syria and Jordan, on the Damascus–Amman highway. Trucks, transit traffic, fuel and goods pass through it, as do travelers. Its closure cuts off the main legal route, drives up prices and causes shortages in Daraa, Quneitra and Suwayda, harming trade, transport and livelihoods while increasing smuggling and isolating southern Syria. Reopening it, by contrast, boosts the local economy and humanitarian access.
What does “takfiri views” mean in the Syrian and Jordanian context, and why do authorities use the term to describe the attackers? — “Takfiri” refers to extreme jihadist or Salafist views. Those who hold them declare other Muslims to be takfir—unbelievers or apostates—which is used to justify violence. In Syria and Jordan, authorities use the label to portray attackers as extremist terrorists, distinguish them from the political opposition, justify security measures and win international support. The term, however, can be broad and stigmatizing.
Why were retaliatory strikes launched in Daraa Governorate and the al-Muzayrib area when the attack took place in Jordan’s al-Karak, and how are these areas connected across the Syrian-Jordanian border? — According to reports, authorities linked the attack in al-Karak to a network with bases and logistical hubs in Daraa and al-Muzayrib. These border areas have smuggling routes and family and tribal ties that span both sides of the frontier. The strikes therefore targeted not the site of the attack itself, but alleged bases, weapons depots or accomplices through which, according to the authorities, people, weapons and supplies moved. Daraa and al-Muzayrib lie close to the Jordanian border and have historically served as a corridor between southern Syria and Jordan.
Full version: Jordan targets “terrorist dens” in southern Syria as Damascus reports civilian casualties