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Israel al-Aqsa attack 

Israeli forces have stormed al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied al-Quds, beating Palestinian worshippers there. Dozens of Palestinians have been injured and hundreds more arrested in the pre-dawn raid. In response to the aggression against Islam’s third holiest site, Palestinian resistance fighters launched several rockets toward the occupied territories. Rocket warning sirens sounded in several Israeli urban centers. Israeli forces responded by performing missile attacks on the Gaza Strip. No word on possible casualties. The Israeli raid was conducted as Muslims were observing the holy fasting month of Ramadan. It also comes amid fears of an escalation in tensions. Violence in al-Quds and al-Aqsa set off an 11-day war on Gaza in 2021. 

Slamming Israeli aggression 

Condemnations are pouring in over Israeli forces' raid on al-Aqsa Mosque. The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has vowed retaliation for 'terrorizing worshippers'. Hamas has denounced the assault as part of Tel Aviv’s religious war against Palestinians’ sanctities. The Islamic Jihad resistance movement also said the retaliatory rocket attacks following the raid are an “initial warning message”. The group stressed that Palestinians are ready to defend the holy site at all costs. Meanwhile, the Arab League has categorically denounced the incident in an emergency meeting held upon a request from Jordan. It decried all Israeli attempts to change the historic and legal status quo of al-Aqsa. The bloc held Tel Aviv responsible for the repercussions of what it is called provocative actions. It also urged the UN security council to take action promptly to end such aggression.

NATO expansionism

NATO secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, says members of the military alliance have agreed to have Sweden as a new member soon. He made the announcement a day after Finland formally became the 31st member of the alliance despite Russia’s warnings. Stoltenberg was speaking at a presser in Brussels after NATO foreign ministers' two-day talks in the Belgian capital. Turkey, a NATO ally, has not given its green light to Stockholm’s membership yet. Turkey says Sweden needs to take further steps so that Ankara would ratify its membership. On Tuesday, Finland formally joined NATO after receiving Ankara's consent. Helsinki and Stockholm applied to join the alliance last year after Russia launched its military offensive in Ukraine. Sweden and Finland made their bids despite Russia repeatedly cautioning them against the move. Moscow has already warned against NATO’s eastward expansion in Europe and vowed to further boost its defenses. 
 

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