Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Jun 2026, 6:51 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia restricted entry to Makkah from 13 April 2026 to Hajj permit holders only and suspended Umrah permits from 18 April to 31 May 2026 as the Kingdom prepares for the Hajj pilgrimage beginning around 25 May.
Saudia has launched Hajj 2026 operations with 160 aircraft and over one million seats spanning 145 global destinations, as part of Saudi Arabia's total air transport plan of 3.1 million seats across 12,000 flights.
Saudi Arabia has imposed fines of up to SAR 100,000 for facilitating unauthorised Hajj and up to SAR 20,000 for pilgrims performing Hajj without a permit, alongside 10-year re-entry bans for violators.
Hajj 2026 LIVE: Muslim Pilgrims Gather In Arafat Plain For Arafa Day During Annual Hajj | AK15 Lexie Hull (rGvrIYMuCA) Mshale
1.7m Pilgrims Performed 2026 Hajj — Saudi Authority News Agency of Nigeria
Over 1.7 million pilgrims perform four key rituals of Hajj, marking peak of sacred journey Gulf News
Muslim pilgrims perform Hajj rituals under intense heat as Eid al-Adha celebrations start Daily Freeman
Saudi Arabia Hajj Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Palestinians across Gaza marked Eid al-Adha prayers amongst rubble and destruction as Israeli attacks continued.