Israel's Ben Gvir, under heavy guard, leads settler raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, led hundreds of settlers in a raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. Under a heavy police guard, the group performed Jewish Talmudic prayers, violating the long-standing status quo that prohibits non-Muslim prayer at the site. The action was intended to antagonize Muslim worshippers and disrupt the sanctity of one of Islam's holiest places. Residents reported that the heavy Israeli security presence and checkpoints made the area resemble a "military base."