{
  "id": 14733748,
  "title": "Pilgrims caught up in Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/pilgrims-caught-up-in-houthi-strikes-on-saudi-arabia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T15:39:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2026/10/1556462/pilgrims-caught-houthi-strikes-saudi-arabia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia found themselves caught in air strikes by Yemen's Houthis. Footage showed passengers in the airport departure terminal dressed in simple white clothes, typical attire for Muslim pilgrims traveling to Makkah. A Bangladeshi imam leading a group of pilgrims was killed, and others were wounded. The Houthis vowed not to target Makkah and Madinah, Islam's two holiest sites, but instead attacked other Saudi airports, perceiving it as retaliation for Saudi strikes on them. Fadi Anwar, a Jordanian in Makkah, expressed deep anxiety for his family, receiving constant warnings from authorities. Saudi officials assured the safety of visitors, but Western governments advised against using most Saudi airports. While most pilgrims fly directly into Madinah or Jeddah, others travel via other major hubs, including Riyadh. Al Amin Hassan Mohammed from Sudan, visiting family before his own pilgrimage, witnessed the attack in Riyadh, causing him and neighbors to go out and discuss the situation. The main mosque in Makkah was filled with pilgrims in white robes, circling the Kaabah, the direction all Muslims face while praying. The strikes have caused Saudi Arabia to ground many flights, switch to online learning in schools, and encourage remote work in offices. Some pilgrims and foreign residents have had their travel plans postponed or redirected, with transportation costs doubling to alternative destinations. The situation remains uncertain, with the potential for renewed conflict between the US and Iran.",
  "summary": "PILGRIMS in Saudi Arabia may not have anticipated being caught up in an air war, but some experienced an attack by Yemen’s Houthis first-hand and others have been forced to change their plans.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}