Israeli Forces Shut Down Al-Aqsa Mosque, Expel Worshippers After Airstrikes on Iran
Occupied Jerusalem (Quds News Network)- Israeli occupation forces shut down Al-Aqsa Mosque at dawn on Friday. They forced all worshippers out and sealed the mosque’s gates.
Israeli police stormed the mosque compound and removed worshippers from the covered prayer halls. They expelled everyone and then closed all entrances to the site.
This is the first full closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The closure comes as Israel announced a complete lockdown on the occupied West Bank. The move followed a wide-scale Israeli airstrike on Iran and was carried out under the pretext of following “Home Front Command instructions” and responding to nationwide sirens.
Local sources confirmed a heavy deployment of Israeli forces in and around the mosque. A tight security cordon was imposed across the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, sparking tension among residents.
The shutdown adds to growing regional tensions after Israel’s attack on Iran. Fears are rising over a potential wider escalation in the region.
The latest actions by Israeli forces raise concerns among Palestinians over increasing restrictions on religious freedoms, particularly at Islam’s third holiest site.
Al-Aqsa Mosque has long been targeted by Israel’s attacks. Its repeated storming by Israeli forces and settlers has drawn widespread condemnation from Muslim countries and international human rights groups.
