Police arrested 13 people on Friday after they broke through security at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City and attempted to carry out a ritual sacrifice to mark the Jewish festival of Shavuot. According to authorities, the group entered the compound with loaves of bread, a traditional element of the holiday offering, though no animals were reported at the scene.

The Temple Mount is Judaism's holiest site and is also revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, making it a frequent flashpoint for tensions. Public Jewish prayer and animal sacrifice are prohibited at the site under longstanding arrangements, and efforts to change these rules have sparked controversy.

Small fringe groups have for years attempted to revive ancient sacrificial practices tied to the biblical temples, despite the destruction of the Second Temple nearly two thousand years ago and opposition from many rabbinical authorities. Police have made several similar arrests in recent months involving attempts to smuggle animals or conduct ritual acts at the compound.