![Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyard in the Old City of East Jerusalem are observed to be empty following Israeli army launched preventive, precise, and coordinated strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear program, on June 13, 2025, in Jerusalem. [Mostafa Alkharouf - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/AA-20250613-38265412-38265409-ALAQSA_MOSQUE_EMPTY_FOLLOWING_ISRAELI_STRIKES_ON_IRANS_NUCLEAR_PROGRAM-1.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
The Israeli occupation police closed on Sunday morning Al-Aqsa Mosque again and banned Muslim worshippers from entry “until further notice”.
Eyewitnesses said the Israeli occupation police allowed only employees, workers, and guards to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque, following new instructions from the Israeli Home Front Command.
The re-closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque comes three days after a partial closure accompanied by limiting the number of worshippers to 500. On Friday 13 June, Israel closed the mosque, coinciding with the start of its aggression against Iran.
On Saturday evening, Israeli occupation police raided all Al-Aqsa prayer halls, the Civil Status Office responsible for guards, and the fire department in the Dome of the Rock courtyard, searching them and destroying their contents.
The Israeli occupation police threw copies of the Quran on the ground during their raid on the Al-Aqsa prayer halls, under the pretext of searching the Quran storage rooms.
Four Al-Aqsa Mosque guards were arrested namely Mohammed Arabash, Ramzi Al-Za’anin, Basem Abu Jumaa, and Iyad Odeh but were released after being interrogated.
The four were banned from entering the mosque for a week, subject to renewal.
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