Islamonweb

More than 1.5 million overseas pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, surpassing last year’s international arrival figures despite ongoing tensions and conflict across the Middle East. Saudi officials confirmed that the turnout remains strong even after regional instability disrupted air travel and increased travel costs for pilgrims worldwide.

According to Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Passport Forces commander, Saleh Al-Murabba, the number of pilgrims arriving from outside the kingdom has reached 1,518,153 ahead of the formal start of Hajj rituals. Officials expect the figure to continue rising as more pilgrims arrive over the next few days. Last year, the total number of international pilgrims stood at 1,506,576 out of an overall Hajj attendance of 1.67 million people.

The strong turnout comes despite months of geopolitical tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year, which triggered retaliatory attacks across parts of the Gulf region. The conflict caused temporary airspace closures, flight cancellations, and a sharp increase in airfare prices across major Gulf routes. Airlines based in the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain have since restored much of their operations to accommodate the surge in Hajj travel demand.

Saudi authorities have continued extensive logistical and security preparations to manage the influx of pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca and surrounding pilgrimage sites. The annual Hajj pilgrimage remains one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory once in a lifetime for Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake the journey.