Syrian state TV, citing local sources, said the Jordanian army had likely targeted a headquarters in the village of Shahba that contained weapons and narcotics controlled by rebel groups in the Druze-majority province of Sweida, where large areas remain outside the full control of Damascus.

The report said the strike focused on facilities allegedly used for storing drugs and arms, reflecting ongoing concerns over smuggling routes operating through southern Syria toward Jordan and the wider Gulf region.

In a separate statement, the Jordanian army confirmed it had carried out what it described as a “deterrent operation” against multiple locations used by arms and drug traffickers along the kingdom’s northern border.It did not specify the exact sites targeted or provide casualty figures.

Local sources told an AFP correspondent that a series of airstrikes struck at least five locations, including warehouses in the town of Arman, another area in southern Syria believed to be linked to trafficking activity.

Jordan has repeatedly accused armed groups and smuggling networks operating in southern Syria of using the border region to move large quantities of narcotics, particularly captagon, as well as weapons into Jordanian territory.

Amman has increasingly adopted a more aggressive military posture in recent years, including cross-border raids and airstrikes, arguing that the scale of trafficking has become a national security threat.Sweida province, with its complex tribal dynamics and limited central state authority, has remained a sensitive zone for both Syrian authorities and neighboring Jordan, particularly as security vacuums have enabled illicit trade networks to expand.

The latest strikes come amid wider regional efforts to stabilize southern Syria while containing the spread of organized smuggling operations linked to armed factions and local militias.

The victims were among 82 people packed onto the vessel, which became stranded on a beach at Neufchatel-Hardelot, around 12 kilometers (seven miles) south of the port city of Boulogne, according to regional official Christophe Marx.

Emergency services responded after the boat encountered difficulty near the shore, but the two women could not be saved. Authorities did not immediately release their identities or nationalities.

The latest deaths bring the number of people killed this year while attempting the crossing from northern France to the southern coast of Britain to at least eight, according to French officials.

In 2025, at least 29 migrants died attempting the same journey, highlighting the continued dangers posed by the increasingly crowded and often unstable small boats used by people trying to reach the United Kingdom.

Despite tighter enforcement and joint security efforts between Paris and London, the Channel route remains a major pathway for migrants and asylum seekers seeking entry into Britain.

Last month, Britain and France signed a new three-year agreement aimed at reducing crossings, with France committing to deploy more police officers and gendarmes along its northern coastline while the British government agreed to increase financial support for coastal security operations.

The deal reflects growing political pressure on both governments to curb irregular migration and dismantle smuggling networks operating across the Channel.

French authorities say the number of migrant arrivals in Britain so far this year has fallen sharply compared with 2025, though the route continues to carry high humanitarian risks, particularly during poor weather and overcrowded departures.

Rights groups have repeatedly warned that stronger border enforcement alone has not stopped crossings but instead pushed migrants toward more dangerous routes and riskier conditions at sea.

The English Channel remains one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, making small-boat crossings especially hazardous for migrants traveling in unseaworthy vessels often launched at night or in rough conditions.