Overview
- Saudi observers confirmed the Dhul Hijjah crescent, fixing Hajj to begin on May 25 and run for roughly five days with core rituals including the Day of Arafah and the stoning at Mina.
- More than one million pilgrims have already arrived in Mecca, with public estimates ranging from about 1.2 million to as many as 2 million attendees depending on the source.
- The kingdom has deployed visible security measures such as Patriot batteries and layered air defenses around holy sites while warning against political chanting and flags to reduce the risk of unrest.
- Health authorities have tightened screening for travellers from countries with recent outbreaks and placed dozens of medical units, thousands of health staff and shaded routes to reduce disease and heat casualties.
- Hajj planners face higher costs, altered air routes and smaller national contingents from some countries, and the pilgrimage follows a long history in which cancellations are rare but safety failures, such as the 2024 heat deaths, have shaped new precautions.