LONDON: Al-Aqsa Mosque has been closed for a second successive day by the Israeli authorities in light of the country’s action against Iran and increased tension in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Authority announced that Israeli forces had barred worshippers from entering the site on Sunday, citing a state of emergency, according to the WAFA News Agency.
The agency added that Al-Aqsa compound had been closed since Saturday morning, preventing worshippers from performing Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan.
The Israeli authorities implemented strict security measures in Jerusalem as the month of Ramadan began in February. They restricted access to the mosque to men over 55, women over 50, and accompanied children under the age of 12.
The Israeli authorities shut down Al-Aqsa in June 2025 during 12 days of conflict with Iran, marking the longest period the site had been closed since 1967.
Israel and the US conducted numerous airstrikes inside Iran on Saturday, targeting military facilities. The strikes also resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and other senior officials. Iran retaliated by launching missiles into Israel and attacking US bases in Gulf countries.
