Jordan strikes Syria after church attack, claims 20-plus Islamic State terrorists killed

Jordan said its air force killed more than 20 Islamic State (IS) terrorists in airstrikes on suspected hideouts in southern Syria on Monday night. Dubbed “Operation Jordanian Deterrence – Hmoud”, the operation was described as retaliation for a deadly church attack on Jordanian soil. According to Jordan’s state news agency Petra, the Jordan Armed Forces said the attackers behind the Karak church assault had links to the terrorist organisations targeted in southern Syria. The military said Jordanian fighter jets destroyed several terrorist locations, killing and wounding terrorists and destroying their equipment. It added that the army would continue to counter terrorism while safeguarding Jordan and ensuring the safety of its people. According to Reuters, Jordan’s Government Communication Minister Mohammed al-Momani said on Tuesday that the strikes had avoided known civilian areas. He added that Jordan regretted the civilian casualties and was following up with Syrian authorities after the operation. Syrian authorities said the strikes killed seven people, including three children and a woman, in a preliminary report issued on Monday night. Damascus also disputed Jordan’s account of coordination, saying the strikes took place without prior coordination or notification. The airstrikes followed a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak governorate on October 23, which killed nine people and wounded at least 34. Jordanian authorities subsequently arrested three suspects in connection with the attack, which prompted Amman to intensify its response against terrorist networks it said were operating across the border in southern Syria.