Israel has imposed a ban on Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, citing rising tensions with Iran. Brigadier General Hisham Ibrahim, the head of Israel’s civil administration, announced the decision through the Israeli military’s Al-Manasq platform, stating that the move was made in response to Iran’s retaliatory attacks and security concerns. The Israeli military had previously arrested the Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Abasi, in early Ramadan.
According to reports, all sacred sites in Jerusalem’s Old City, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, will be closed on Fridays, preventing worshippers and pilgrims from entering the area. Senior Imam Sheikh Akram Sabri condemned the move, stating that Israeli authorities use every opportunity to close Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is an unjust decision.
In a separate development, Indonesian President Joko Widodo warned that Indonesia would withdraw from the US-established Peace Board if it failed to benefit Palestinians. Following reports of fake videos and old footage being broadcast by some Indian TV channels after Iranian-American-Israeli attacks, Indonesia offered to mediate in the Iran-Israel-US conflict and announced the support of Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Lebanese media, Israeli warplanes targeted a three-story building in the Al-Aqaba neighborhood, which belonged to retired Lebanese military officer Youssef Rida Ramil, resulting in the complete destruction of the building. Iran claimed to have targeted the Israeli embassy in Manama, Bahrain’s capital.
In Kuwait, a fire broke out at a US military base following an attack on the facility. The global oil market saw a 9.1% surge in crude oil prices after the US failed to open the Strait of Hormuz.
The Israeli military announced that it had targeted a senior Iranian commander in an air strike in Tehran. The conflict has put pressure on the budgets and economies of Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar at risk of canceling their investments in the US worth billions of dollars.
Russia has provided Iran with information on the positions of US warships and aircraft, with officials claiming that 112 drones were detected, 109 were shot down in mid-air, and three landed in the United Arab Emirates. Israel has reopened its skies to foreign flights starting March 8.
In a surprising development, the US state of Texas has seen a historic high voter turnout in its primary elections, sparking a new debate on whether the state will remain a Republican stronghold or become a competitive or even Democratic state. Reports indicate that the son of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was injured in the Lebanese border clashes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have launched a new wave of attacks on US and Israeli facilities using advanced ballistic missiles. Iranian Parliament Speaker Dr. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln had left the battlefield.
