JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Masked youths discharged fireworks in the direction of Israeli police near Jerusalem’s most important mosque on Friday and police charged the mosque compound to confront them, Reuters Television footage showed.

It was not immediately clear if the entry of the police happened before or after the fireworks.

An Israeli police spokesman said firecrackers and stones were lobbed at police at al-Aqsa mosque compound “for an unknown reason”. Police were clearing the compound in response, he said.

The compound, which Jews also revere as vestige of their two ancient temples, is a frequent flashpoint of Israeli-Palestinian tensions.