Video | Iranian missile hits Jerusalem; warhead lands near Al-Aqsa Mosque on Eid al-Fitr

Israel on Saturday (March 21) said Iran had attacked Jerusalem on Eid-ul-Fitr, with a missile hitting a few hundred metres from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, forcing hundreds of Muslim worshippers to offer Eid prayers outside the locked gates of the Old City as they were barred from entering the area for the first time in nearly 60 years.

"An Iranian missile struck Jerusalem during Eid al-Fitr, a few hundred meters from the holiest sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews. This is the true face of the Mullahs' so-called 'religious' regime," the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted on X.

The plateau in Jerusalem's Old City is considered the holiest site in Judaism, where the ancient Temples stood. For Muslims, it is the third-holiest site, marking the Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey and ascension from Al-Aqsa. Christians revere it as the setting for pivotal moments in the life and teachings of Jesus.

On Friday, a blast left a crater in a hillside just inside Jerusalem's Old City, spraying debris across a road, following a warning of incoming missiles fired from Iran.

Also Read: ‘If you keep snakes in your backyard…’: Pakistan tops GTI as most terror-affected nation

AFP reported that its journalists at the scene saw the damage just a few hundred metres from Jerusalem's revered holy sites of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Israeli military said the impact was felt near the Temple Mount. "The Old City in Jerusalem, right near the Temple Mount, was impacted by Iranian missile fragments. The Iranian regime once again proves it fires indiscriminately, whether at civilian areas or holy sites, all with the intention of destroying the State of Israel," the IDF said in a statement.

Since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran, Israeli authorities have, for security reasons, barred access to the Old City for anyone other than residents or shop owners. The restrictions extend to all holy sites, including the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which have been closed since March 6, The Times of Israel reported.

Iran has been launching a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for the bombing campaign started by the US-Israeli military on February 28. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders, including security chief Ali Larijani, Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib, and IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, were killed by the United States and Israel in decapitation strikes as the war in West Asia entered its third week.

Despite the decapitation strikes and the massive bombing campaign, Iran remains defiant and has launched attacks on US bases across the region and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for nearly 20 per cent of the global oil supply.

(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)