IOF on high alert in light of Quds Day security concerns
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Israeli media report that the Israeli occupation is on high alert over security concerns in light of the looming Al-Quds Day.
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Israeli occupation forces examine the scene of a shooting near the Israeli settlement of 'Hamra' in West Bank, April 7, 2023 (AP)
The Israeli occupation's security establishment is on high alert, deploying additional Iron Dome batteries out of fear of impending rocket and drone attacks on the occasion of Al-Quds Day, commemorated on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, Israeli media said.
In light of the ongoing tensions all over occupied Palestine and the region, especially due to last week's incidents when the Israeli occupation was bombed from Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, the batteries were deployed in various Israeli settlements over the weekend, Israeli Channel 12 News reported.
"Commando fighters were stationed in central Israel to bolster the Israeli police and embolden the sense of security in city centers based on the directions of the minister of security," Channel 12 added.
Moreover, it highlighted that only Tuesday morning was it revealed that Duvdevan Unit fighters, in cooperation with the Mista'arvim unit of the "border guard" and the Sayeret Matkal almost immediately arrested, after a shoot-out, a cell in Jenin that was planning on launching an attack in Jenin, reflecting the level of alert that the Israeli occupation is in.
"One of the reasons [behind the heightened state of alert] is that the upcoming weekend, coinciding with the end of the month of Ramadan will see celebrations to commemorate Al-Quds Day, which is marked by anti-Israeli activity from the Axis [of Resistance] countries," the news outlet added.
Israeli media explained that the Israeli forces were on high alert out of precaution and in anticipation of aerial offensives, cyberattacks, and operations similar to the one allegedly thwarted in the morning.
The commander of "Israel's" Air Force, General Tomer Bar, visited on Monday a reserve battery, the outlet revealed, noting that the military official spoke with the soldiers there, while reserve forces were recruited to ensure the continuity of the air defense systems.
This comes in light of continuous Israeli raids against Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the brutalization of Palestinians stationing themselves in the holy site.
The Israeli occupation forces on Sunday turned the courtyards of Al-Aqsa mosque into military barracks in a bid to provide protection for the illegal settlers storming the Muslim holy site on the fourth day of Passover.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Al-Quds said scores of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in Groups from the Moroccan Gate, adding that they carried out provocative tours and performed some rites under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces.
The IOF's provocations sent settlers into a frenzy, with Israeli media reporting that the current situation resembled the time leading up to the Seif Al-Quds battle, adding that "an incident in Al-Aqsa can also be dragged into a wide confrontation" this time.
The first round of aggression spurred up a week of Israeli violence and Palestinian confrontations that spread all over the occupied state in various forms, from rallies to resistance operations.
The raids have drawn international condemnation and sparked concerns within the Israeli occupation about the severity of the security situation and how the occupation's actions were backfiring.
Moreover, the security concerns come as Israeli media said the occupation's strategic situation has worsened over the past several months.
According to the Israel Hayom newspaper, the warning was sent in a recent memo to the top brass and the key decision-makers in the Israeli occupation, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant.
"The memo states that Israel's dangerous strategic posture can be attributed to several factors, with the main one being the weakness Israel's enemies have sensed due to the internal chasm over the judicial reform legislation," the newspaper said.
It highlighted that this view is shared by all members of the Axis of Resistance and has been clearly manifested in the series of meetings held by Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah with the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad movements officials.
