Hajj attendance surges despite regional conflict

More than 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, a figure that already exceeds last year's foreign arrivals, with the pilgrimage itself not beginning until Monday.

The numbers are striking given the backdrop. The Hajj is taking place under the shadow of regional conflict, following the Israeli-American strike on Tehran on February 28 that prompted Iran to target its Gulf neighbours. The resulting airspace closures, flight cancellations and surge in travel costs had raised serious doubts about attendance levels this year.

That pilgrims have turned out in such numbers is a testament to the centrality of the Hajj in Muslim life, one of Islam's five pillars, obligatory for every Muslim who is physically and financially able to undertake it at least once in a lifetime. Major Gulf carriers from the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have largely restored their operational capacity after weeks of disruption, easing access to the holy sites.

In 2025, total pilgrims numbered 1.67 million. This year's final count is expected to rise further before the rites begin.