Overview
- The Hajj, which began May 25, has drawn more than 1.5 million pilgrims from abroad who completed tawaf at the Grand Mosque and moved into the Mina tent city to prepare for the Day of Arafat.
- Saudi officials have posted footage of advanced air‑defence batteries placed around Mecca and boosted security forces to protect the holy sites from aerial threats after months of regional strikes and a fragile ceasefire.
- Organizers expanded heat‑safety measures as temperatures topped 40°C, adding shaded walkways, misting fans, thousands of personnel and at least 34 medical units to prevent dehydration and heat illness.
- Overall foreign attendance exceeded 2025 numbers, but some national contingents were disrupted by the conflict: about 30,000 Iranians attended versus roughly 86,000 expected and India sent about 175,000 pilgrims supported by a new Haj Suvidha app.
- Pilgrims will perform the climax of the rites on Mount Arafat on Tuesday and Saudi authorities are maintaining tight crowd controls and rules against political displays to keep the pilgrimage focused on worship while monitoring transport, fuel and security pressures that could affect travel and costs.