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Three rockets were fired from Syria late Saturday after Tel Aviv beefed up Israel Defense Forces following attacks that killed three people, including an Italian tourist, and earlier rocket fire from Lebanon, reported Jerusalem Post.
One of the Syria rockets landed in Israeli territory and fell in "an open area in the southern Golan Heights," the IDF said. On Saturday night the focus shifted to Jerusalem's Old City as security forces fear further unrest could break out on Sunday when Jewish worshipers are expected to flock to the Western Wall for the priestly blessings that take place on Passover, reported Jerusalem Post. Jewish visitors are also expected to ascend the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif. An additional 2,300 police troops have been deployed throughout the city. "Israel is taking every measure to ensure that Muslims, Jews and Christians can celebrate Ramadan, Passover and Easter peacefully," the Foreign Ministry said. Despite appeals for restraint, violence has surged since Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque on Wednesday after they said Palestinians barricaded themselves inside. Israel bombarded both Gaza and Lebanon in response to rocket fire by Palestinian militants. The unrest comes as the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramzan, Jewish Passover, and Christian Easter coincide. By Saturday night, it appeared as if an uneasy calm had been restored, with security forces still braced not just for violence along those borders as well as increased Israeli-Palestinian violence, reported Jerusalem Post. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant briefed US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the security situation on Saturday night, detailing efforts to "thwart terrorism and respond effectively to any threat toward Israeli citizens and troops," his office said. "Minister Gallant also raised the defence establishment's efforts to enable freedom of prayer at the Temple Mount, which is hijacked by groups of extreme rioters," his office added President Isaac Herzog said Israel was "firmly committed to preserving the status quo at the holy sites in general and on the Temple Mount in particular" in a telephone conversation he had with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Netanyahu has in the past week said that Iran is behind much of the violence levelled at Israel, a point Herzog underscored in his conversation with Erdogan. "Iran, by means of its proxies, including Hamas, is leading a campaign on several fronts with the aim of undermining regional stability and is using terrorism based on religious incitement, focusing on the situation in Jerusalem," Herzog said. Meanwhile, Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued a statement condemning any military operations from its territory that threatened stability but there was no immediate comment from Hezbollah, reported Jerusalem Post. (ANI)
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