LONDON: Jordanian fighter jets struck what the military described as “terrorist hideouts” in southern Syria late on Monday, in retaliation for a deadly attack three days ago on a funeral at a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate.
The Jordanian Armed Forces said those responsible for the attack on Friday at Hamoud Church were linked to the groups targeted by the airstrikes. It described them as “terrorist organizations” but did not name them.
The strikes destroyed several structures and vehicles, and killed or wounded members of the groups, the military said, though no casualty figures or precise locations were provided.
“The Royal Jordanian Air Force carries out Operation ‘Jordanian Deterrence – Hamoud,’ targeting terrorist hideouts in southern Syria,” the statement added. “The operation comes in retaliation for our martyrs who were killed at a funeral at Hamoud Church in Karak last Friday.”
Shortly before the statement was issued, Syrian social media users and groups, including a Facebook page called “Daraa 24,” reported three airstrikes they believed to have been carried out by Jordanian warplanes in western Daraa province.
Reports also described continuing heavy warplane activity over the province, and two earlier explosions, including one attributed to an airstrike near the town of Nasib in eastern Daraa.
Syrian authorities did not immediately comment on the strikes.