Jordan carried out airstrikes in southern Syria on October 26, 2026, under an operation it named “Jordanian Deterrence–Hmoud,” presenting the action as retaliation for the October 23 attack on St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hmoud, Karak. Jordan’s military said the strikes were coordinated with Damascus. Syria’s Foreign Ministry rejected that account, calling the strikes an uncoordinated violation of Syrian airspace and sovereignty, according to the official Jordanian statement.

Official Jordanian account

The Jordan Armed Forces–Arab Army, through state news agency Petra, said the Royal Jordanian Air Force executed the operation against “hideouts of terrorist organizations in southern Syria.” It stated that the operation was conducted “in coordination with the Syrian government” and was retaliation for the “martyrs” of the Hmoud church attack, per the Petra statement.

The military said its fighter jets destroyed “a number of terrorist locations,” killed and wounded “several terrorists,” and destroyed their equipment. It also asserted that the perpetrators of the Hmoud attack had ties to the organizations targeted in Syria.

Jordan’s framing emphasized deterrence and counter-terrorism. The armed forces said they would “stand firm against those who seek to undermine Jordanians’ security” and would continue countering terrorism “at its roots.” The statement did not initially name the targeted group or give a casualty figure.

Government statement on arrests

Earlier on October 26, Minister of Government Communication and Official Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani confirmed that Jordanian security agencies had arrested three suspects in connection with the Hmoud attack. He said all three were injured and taken into custody after refusing to surrender and engaging in an armed clash.

Jordan will act “with an iron fist, without mercy or leniency” against anyone threatening national security.Mohammad Momani, Government Spokesperson, October 26

Momani described the suspects as operating “outside religion, customs, and ethics.” His statement framed the arrests as the beginning of accountability for the church attack and commended the joint security operation that led to the detentions.

Jordan’s later acknowledgment

On October 27, Momani gave a more specific account. He said Jordan had inflicted “heavy losses in IS ranks, estimated at more than 20 elements,” and destroyed what he described as a “massive weapons depot belonging to the organization,” DW reported.

He also acknowledged civilian casualties: “Jordan refrained from targeting sites where intelligence indicated the presence of civilians and regrets the occurrence of civilian casualties.” He maintained the strikes were based on field intelligence and intended to neutralize “confirmed threats and terrorist operations against Jordan.”

It is the clearest official Jordanian acknowledgment that civilians were harmed, though Amman did not publish its own casualty total or independently verify Syria’s figures.

Official Syrian response

Syria’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on October 27 condemning the strikes “in the strongest terms.” It called them “an unacceptable violation and breach of Syrian airspace without any prior coordination,” and “a blatant violation of the principles of good-neighbourliness and Syrian national sovereignty,” as The Times of Israel reported.

Damascus directly contradicted Jordan’s coordination claim, saying the operation occurred without prior coordination or notification. Syrian authorities also said they had opened an investigation and stressed the need for security and field coordination in border areas, according to France 24.

Civilian-casualty reporting

Syrian authorities and rescue organizations reported civilian deaths, but the figures shifted as assessments continued.

Border closure and de-escalation

Syria’s General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs said it closed the Nassib crossing, known as Jaber on the Jordanian side, on October 27. Passenger and commercial traffic was suspended in both directions because of developments in Deraa, The Straits Times reported.

By October 28, Syrian officials said the crossing would reopen and normal traffic would resume, Kuwait Times reported. The move suggests both governments are seeking to contain the diplomatic and practical fallout.

Established facts

The central unresolved issue is not whether Jordan struck southern Syria. It did, and has officially confirmed it. The open questions are whether the operation was coordinated with Damascus, and how many civilians were killed. Jordan’s official position supports coordination and an anti-ISIS rationale; Syria’s denies coordination and frames the strikes as a sovereignty violation.

Khurram Ali Raza
Reports for the World Desk at Faith & Freedom News (FFN), covering conflict, diplomacy and religious freedom.