Muslim pilgrims make their way back after performing the symbolic 'stoning of the devil' ritual as part of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mina on May 27, 2026, commemorating the tradition that the Prophet Abraham cast stones at the devil at three sites where Satan is said to have tried to dissuade him from obeying God’s command to sacrifice his son. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
Thousands of Muslims began to leave the holy city of Mecca on Friday after having completed the hajj pilgrimage in scorching heat and despite the shadow of war across the Middle East.
This year, more than 1.7 million people from 165 countries took part in one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, against the backdrop of the conflict sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Since war erupted in February, Tehran has retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes, hitting infrastructure and energy installations across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca.
More than 30,000 Iranians made the journey to Mecca, about a third of the 86,000 originally expected. Iran’s IRNA state news agency said the “wartime situation” explained the drop.
