Over 1.5 Million Foreign Pilgrims Arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj Despite Middle East Conflict

On February 28, during the holy month of Ramadan, Israel and the United States jointly launched attacks on Iran. In response, Iran carried out retaliatory strikes on U.S. facilities located in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. The conflict severely disrupted the Middle East, with air travel nearly coming to a halt and thousands of flights being cancelled.

However, following the implementation of a ceasefire in early April, flight operations in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain quickly returned to normal. Despite the challenging situation, thousands of Muslims continued travelling to Saudi Arabia to take part in Hajj.

Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Passport Force Commander, Saleh Al-Murabba, said at a press conference that the number of foreign pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom has so far reached 1,518,153.

Hajj takes place during Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the fundamental obligations of Islam for Muslims who are financially and physically capable of undertaking the pilgrimage.