More than 1.5 million Muslims have begun the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, facing temperatures of 45C (113F). The event proceeds under heightened security and against the backdrop of regional tensions, following a recent conflict with Iran. Saudi Arabia has deployed air defenses to protect the holy sites as pilgrims undertake the multi-day rituals central to the Islamic faith.
Hajj Pilgrimage Overview
- ▪More than 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims have begun the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
- ▪Saudi authorities reported that 1.51 million pilgrims had arrived from outside the kingdom, an increase of 11,000 from the previous year
- ▪The Hajj is one of the five Pillars of Islam, and every adult Muslim must undertake it at least once if they are able
Regional Tensions and Security
- ▪The Saudi defence ministry released a video showing air defence batteries deployed on the outskirts of Mecca to protect the holy sites
- ▪Before a fragile ceasefire in April, Iran had launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours
- ▪An Iranian attack on March 8 killed two civilians in al-Kharj and a U.S. service member at the nearby Prince Sultan Air Base
- ▪The pilgrimage is taking place amid regional tensions following a three-month-old conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran
Pilgrim Conditions and Rituals
- ▪Initial rituals include pilgrims circling the cube-shaped Kaaba seven times in Mecca's Grand Mosque, a rite known as tawaf
- ▪Pilgrims faced extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 45C (113F) on the first day of the Hajj
- ▪After rituals in Mecca, pilgrims travel to a vast tent camp in the nearby desert of Mina, where they will spend the night
- ▪The climax of the Hajj is considered the day spent praying on the plain of Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his final sermon
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