Mecca, Saudi Arabia, May 23, 2026 (AFP) - Hajj pilgrim numbers surpass 2025 arrivals despite Middle East war

NAMPA / AFP

2026-05-23

Over 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the kingdom for the upcoming hajj, according to a Saudi official, exceeding the number of international visitors last year despite the war in the Middle East. The conflict triggered by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February saw Tehran order waves of strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, prompting widespread air traffic disruptions and causing travel......

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