Iran missile explodes over Jerusalem, debris falls close to holy sites
Fragments land near Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Western Wall and Temple Mount, raising fears for Old City
Missile fragments from an Iranian strike fell across Jerusalem’s Old City on Monday after a missile exploded overhead, Israeli officials said, landing near some of the world’s most sensitive religious sites.
Debris was reported near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as the Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, placing key Jewish sites within the impact area.
In a statement, Israel’s official account said: “An Iranian missile exploded over Jerusalem’s Old City. Its fragments fell on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian Patriarchate, the Jewish Quarter and on the Temple Mount near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The statement added: “The Iranian regime is firing missiles toward Jerusalem’s holy sites, endangering Jews, Muslims and Christians alike.”
Israeli police said fragments landed across multiple locations in the Old City, one of the most religiously sensitive areas in the world.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein, speaking near the scene, said the missile had come “from the Iranian regime” and warned of the broader threat to Jerusalem.
“Basically, the entire Old City is in danger because of these ballistic missiles fired by Iran against the civilian population and, now, against the holy sites of Jerusalem,” he said.
He added that the intent behind the attacks was clear: “They are trying to cause the highest possible number of civilian casualties, and now they are also targeting holy sites in the city of Jerusalem.”
Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, Shmuel Rabinowitz, also condemned the attack, warning of the consequences of strikes near Jerusalem’s sacred places.
“Jerusalem is a global symbol of holiness; harming the area in which the sacred sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are located is a grave act that has no place,” he said.
He added: “The whole world recognises that holy places must remain outside any conflict.”
Rabinowitz criticised Iran for targeting areas containing major religious sites, saying it was “regrettable that the Iranian regime fires towards areas in Jerusalem that contain sacred places for Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.”
The debris fell after the missile was intercepted over the city, scattering fragments across the densely populated Old City.
While no direct hit on a major site was reported, the proximity of the debris to both the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall- Judaism’s holiest prayer site – has intensified fears over the potential consequences of further attacks.
The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, placing some of Islam’s most important sites within the same risk zone.
Rabinowitz ended his statement with a prayer for calm, calling for the protection of civilians and the preservation of Jerusalem’s sanctity.
“We pray for quiet, for the well-being of the residents of Jerusalem and the State of Israel, for the safety of IDF soldiers and the security forces, and for the preservation of the sanctity of the city of Jerusalem,” he said.
The incident underscores the growing risk posed by regional escalation reaching Jerusalem, where even near-misses carry global religious and political consequences.
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