More than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, despite regional tensions and travel disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Saudi officials said the number of international pilgrims has already surpassed last year’s figure, even as the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States created challenges for air travel across the Gulf region. The conflict, which intensified after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, led to temporary airspace closures, flight cancellations and higher travel costs.
However, major airlines in the Gulf, including carriers from the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, gradually restored operations in recent weeks, allowing pilgrims to continue their journeys.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Saleh Al-Murabba, head of Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Passport Forces, said 1,518,153 pilgrims had already arrived from outside the kingdom. The number is expected to increase further before the official start of Hajj rituals on Monday.
Last year, Saudi Arabia hosted more than 1.67 million pilgrims, including over 1.5 million international visitors.
