Jerusalem's Holy Sites Abandoned Amid War

0:00It's April 1st, you're listening to U.S. News Today, AI-powered national coverage. Jerusalem's holy sites sit empty as the war with Iran drags into its fifth week, slamming the breaks on Passover and Easter celebrations. The old city looks like a ghost town, with metal shutters down on stores and vast plazas missing crowds of pilgrims and tourists. Strikes kicked off February 28th when Israel and the United States hit Iran, and now missiles keep raining down on the city. Debris from Intercepts has peppered rooftops near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and rose to the western wall, spots usually buzzing with prayer. Folks are gutted rabbi stare at barren plazas by the western wall, pre-skipped palm Sunday marches, and Muslim shop owners mourn Aramadan without. Al-Aqsa, gatherings cap at 50 people if there's a shelter nearby, echoing pandemic rules but way more tense. Family scramble was stripped down seaters, dodging sirens while flipping houses clean for Passover.

1:00Bingurian airport runs on fumes, pushing some to flee via Egypt's border, an ironic twist on the Exodus tale. Through the exhaustion, communities lean on interfaith, holding small services amid the rubble, eyes fixed on holidays that promise renewal no matter, the chaos.