Israel
Jordan bombs Syrian targets after nine killed at church funeral
By Jewish Life Staff, . Jewish Life.
Nine people were killed and dozens wounded when a gunman opened fire at a funeral being held at St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud, in Jordan's Karak governorate, on Friday, according to JNS and Haaretz. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Haaretz reported. The wounded toll given by the two outlets differs: JNS reported at least 34 injured, while the report from Haaretz put the figure at 40.
The airstrikes
On Monday, the Royal Jordanian Air Force carried out strikes against several targets in southeastern Syria, the Jordanian Armed Forces said. The military said the operation, which it named "Jordanian Deterrence - Hamoud," destroyed what it described as terrorist positions and vehicles, killing and wounding an unspecified number of fighters.
Jordan said the mission was coordinated in advance with Syrian authorities. Damascus denied any prior coordination and, according to Haaretz, local health officials and the Syrian Arab News Agency reported five people killed in the strikes, including women and children.
Arrests inside Jordan
Also on Monday, Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects following a shootout, authorities said, as reported by both outlets. Neither publication gave further details on the identities of those detained or the circumstances of the shootout.
The situation was still developing at the time of reporting, and the two accounts differ on the civilian casualty figures and on whether Syria was consulted before the strikes.
Sources
1. Jordan launches airstrikes in Syria after deadly church attack, jns.org
2. Jordan strikes kill five in southern Syria following deadly church attack, haaretz.com