Dozens of Israeli settlers, under heavy protection from Israeli occupation forces, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday morning, escalating tensions at one of Islam’s holiest sites.

Local sources reported that the settlers entered the mosque in successive groups, performing provocative Talmudic rituals in the eastern area near the Al-Qibli Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

The incursion was marked by a significant Israeli police presence, with forces imposing strict restrictions on Palestinian worshippers. Authorities confiscated the identification cards of several worshippers and restricted their movement in and out of the mosque, further intensifying the atmosphere of confrontation.

This latest incident is part of a series of escalating violations targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site for Muslims, which Jews refer to as the Temple Mount, citing its historical significance as the location of two ancient Jewish temples. The incursions align with repeated calls by extremist "Temple Mount" groups to assert control over the site and push for its temporal and spatial division, raising fears among Palestinians of attempts to alter the religious status quo.

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs condemned the actions, emphasizing that Al-Aqsa Mosque is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims and that the Jerusalem Waqf, under Jordan’s oversight, is the sole authority responsible for managing the site.

The storming of Al-Aqsa comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Palestinian groups calling for increased mobilization to protect the mosque. The incident has reignited demands for international intervention to safeguard the religious and historical status of the Al-Aqsa compound. (ILKHA)