40 Injured as Gunmen Strike Jordanian Church

Violence struck a place of worship in Jordan on Friday, leaving nine people dead and forty others wounded.

The incident occurred at St George's Greek Orthodox church in the town of Hamoud. Local authorities have identified the perpetrators as extremists, marking a significant escalation in threats against the country's small Christian population. Maj gen Abdallah al-Maaytah, who leads the Public Security Directorate, confirmed that most of the injured are currently receiving medical care. He noted that a search for the shooters is still active. The health minister verified the injury count at forty. While Interior minister Mazin Al Farrayeh labeled the act terrorism, he cautioned that it is too soon to determine if the attackers have links to specific domestic or foreign groups. No organization has yet stepped forward to claim responsibility for the shooting.

State television aired security footage that appeared to capture the event. The video showed three individuals firing from a sidewalk, using trees and a low wall for cover before moving toward the church entrance. Reuters verified the clip by matching the entry route and surrounding structures. Witnesses on the scene described a chaotic and frightening environment. Priest Theodoros Soueiss recalled urging attendees to take cover. He stated, "A sense of panic took hold among those present," and added, "The gunfire was indiscriminate, and you never knew where a bullet might land." Khaled Burqan, a funeral attendee, told Al-Mamlaka that dozens were present and that the shooting lasted several minutes. Another witness, Ihab Ammareen, described seeing injured people collapse to the floor. He remarked, "People were crying, wailing, screaming, it's hard to describe."

Political leaders reacted quickly to the news. Prime minister Jafar Hassan posted on X, describing the event as the outcome of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He affirmed that the nation would not let society follow that path. King Abdullah visited the Karak area within hours of the attack. He vowed that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. The king also stated that those who believe they can divide the country with bullets have no chance against national unity.

Security measures have been tightened across Jordan in the wake of the shooting. The US embassy in Amman reported on Saturday that protection has been increased at malls, foreign diplomatic missions, and other key sites. International leaders have also voiced their concern. UN secretary general António Guterres condemned the violence, calling attacks on civilians and houses of worship unacceptable. Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, described the incident as a depraved and brutal attack on a place of worship.

Jordan is generally viewed as stable, although US officials say they have thwarted multiple planned attacks by Islamist militants in recent years. The country also faced Iranian strikes this year after the US and Israel launched operations against Iran in February. Christians remain a minority in Jordan, a nation known for its biblical sites that attract pilgrims globally. Outside a government hospital in Karak, Hani Al-Mbaydeen expressed the shock felt by many supporters. He said the state must investigate where such dark ideas originate and how they enter the minds of the nation's children.