More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, even as the event unfolds under the shadow of heightened regional tensions linked to the US, Israel and Iran conflict.
According to officials cited by international reports, over 1.5 million Muslims from around the world are participating in the pilgrimage, one of Islam’s Five Pillars, as it reaches its peak rituals in Mecca and surrounding holy sites.
Despite geopolitical concerns, authorities have emphasised that the pilgrimage is proceeding normally, with pilgrims continuing rituals in intense heat and tight logistical conditions. The gathering comes amid a fragile regional situation and ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions linked to the broader conflict.
For many pilgrims, however, the focus remains spiritual—marking a deeply significant religious journey that draws millions each year regardless of global uncertainty.
Huge numbers of Muslims gathered on Mount Arafat on Tuesday at the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage, as intense desert heat pushed temperatures close to 40°C.
From daybreak, thousands of white-robed pilgrims recited Quranic verses on the 70-metre rocky hill near Makkah, where Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his final sermon.
What is confirmed
Reliable reports show:
- More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for Hajj this year.
- The pilgrimage is taking place amid heightened regional tensions linked to the Iran–Israel–US conflict, with a fragile security environment and broader geopolitical uncertainty.
What is NOT confirmed in credible reports
The claim that:
“Tehran retaliated with waves of drone and ballistic missile strikes, hitting major infrastructure and energy installations across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia”
is not supported in current reputable coverage about the Hajj context. While there have been broader regional tensions and security concerns, major outlets reporting on the pilgrimage do not confirm ongoing widespread missile strikes on Gulf infrastructure as part of the Hajj situation.
Safe, accurate rephrased version of your paragraph
More than 1.5 million pilgrims have joined this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia, even as the pilgrimage takes place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East linked to the wider Iran–Israel–US conflict.
During the broader regional hostilities, fears of escalation and security concerns have lingered across the Gulf, although authorities have ensured that the pilgrimage continues under tight safety and crowd-control measures.
More than 30,000 Iranian pilgrims have travelled for Hajj this year, roughly one-third of the 86,000 initially expected. Iran’s IRNA state news agency attributed the decline to the “wartime situation.”
Despite the regional conflict, Saudi officials said over the weekend that overall international arrivals for this year’s Hajj have exceeded last year’s figures.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a pilgrimage that every Muslim must perform at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to do so.
Since men are not allowed to wear hats during Hajj, many pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the intense desert sun.
After their time at Mount Arafat, pilgrims spend the night in Muzdalifah, where they collect pebbles for the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina, which begins on Wednesday.
The Hajj is believed to retrace the final pilgrimage of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), performed around 1,400 years ago.
