Police in Jordan kill a gunman in a shootout near the Israeli Embassy

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Police in Jordan shot and killed a man after he opened fire near the Israeli Embassy early on Sunday, authorities said.

Three police officers were wounded in the shootout in the Rabiah neighborhood of the capital, Amman. Authorities did not identify the shooter or say what his motive was.

Jordan is a close Western ally that made peace with Israel in 1994. But Israel’s devastating offensive in the Gaza Strip, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, has strained relations.

Jordan has a large Palestinian population and has seen repeated protests outside the Israeli Embassy, with demonstrators sometimes clashing with police.

Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said in a statement that police pursued the gunman after he opened fire in the area.

“He was chased and surrounded, so he started firing gunshots at the security force, which in turn applied the rules of engagement, which resulted in the killing of the perpetrator,” the statement said.

A retired Jordanian soldier killed three Israelis in September when he opened fire at the border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The gunman, Maher al-Jazi, was shot dead by Israeli security forces.