Groups of Israeli occupation settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds early Thursday, ahead of the provocative Flag March scheduled to be held later in the day.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Al-Quds confirmed that more than 200 Israeli settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque within one hour in the early morning hours of Thursday.

🔴 #عاجل|| مجموعات المستوطنين تبدأ باقتحام المسجد الأقصى المبارك بحماية من قوات الاحتلال. pic.twitter.com/dYN5z29FCI

— أدهم أبو سلمية #غزة 🇵🇸 (@adham922) May 18, 2023

The storming came at a time when the occupation forces tightened their measures in Al-Quds in preparations for the Flag March, and prevented Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the morning prayers.

The streets of the Old City of Al-Quds that lead to Al-Aqsa Mosque witnessed a state of alert by the occupation forces in the morning, including the deployment of over 3,200 police officers to protect the Israeli rampage planned for today.

Likewise, Israeli media indicated yesterday that various areas have been placed on high alert, fearing the possibility of Palestinians carrying out resistance operations in the West Bank, and rockets being fired from the Gaza Strip during today's march.

This year's march is taking place just days after the Israeli occupation launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the martyrdom of 33 Palestinians, almost a third of whom were children and women.

The Israeli i24 news website reported that the occupation police announced their readiness, amid calls for Palestinians in Al-Quds to raise Palestinian flags in response to the Israeli march.

In the event that the Palestinians of Al-Quds carried out a march of their own against the settlers', the occupation police will work to ensure that the march does not go beyond Salah Al-Din Street facing the Damascus Gate, the report said, adding that "the [Israeli] march will not pass through the courtyards of Al-Aqsa despite the false publications and incitement attempts."

Storming the city of Nablus

Israeli occupation forces stormed on Thursday morning the Old City in Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

لليوم الثاني.. القوات الإسرائيلية تقتحم البلدة القديمة بمدينة #نابلس واندلاع اشتباكاتhttps://t.co/hlOxOIkkpM pic.twitter.com/6V1A5S3DnU

— azmtayyar (@tayyar_azm) May 18, 2023

The storming occupation forces fired tear gas at Palestinians protecting the city, while  Resistance fighters confronted the storming force with firearms.

For its part, the Palestinian Red Crescent indicated that its medical teams dealt with a rubber bullet injury and dozens of suffocation cases.

Other areas in the West Bank also witnessed incursions by the occupation in the early hours of dawn, including the town of Beit Ur al-Tahta (west of Ramallah) and the village of Burqa (east of Ramallah). The IOF also stormed a village in Beit Lahm and arrested one Palestinian.