Images show U.S. Patriot missiles deployed for Muslim Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Ministry of Defense has released images of U.S.-made Raytheon MIM-104 Patriot missile systems deployed to protect Mecca and the Grand Mosque during the ongoing Hajj pilgrimage.

The same system has previously been used to intercept Houthi-launched missiles.

Newsweek has reached out to the Saudi government for comment.

Why It Matters

The kingdom has stepped up a multi-layered security approach to manage over 1.5 million Hajj pilgrims this year, deploying advanced air defense and surveillance systems and enhancing military ground forces’ coordination with civil police.

The deployment of the Patriot missile system underscores Saudi Arabia’s reliance on American-made air defense technology, a cornerstone of its defense strategy, also notable in its recent acquisition of Lockheed’s THAAD system, which operates over longer ranges.

What To Know

“Air defense forces… an eye that never sleeps, its mission is the safety of Muslim pilgrims,” read the Saudi Defense Ministry’s Arabic-language caption above photos of the Patriot missile system.

Some social media uders speculated it was a show of force to the Yemeni Houthis, which the kingdom has fought since 2015. “May God strengthen you and may God return the plots of the pagan Houthis back upon them,” a username called Abdullah wrote in a comment.

In 2022, the U.S. approved the sale of 300 Raytheon Patriot MIM-104E GEM-T missiles to Saudi Arabia as part of a $3.05 billion defense package, in support for counterattacks from the Houthis.

What People Are Saying

A Saudi-based military blogger account by the username of “SM Military” with more than 100,000 followers on X, translated from Arabic: “From the holy city of Mecca, the Saudi Air Defense’s Patriot system stands as a strong shield protecting the most sacred land on earth…A clear message to the world that the security of the Guests of the Merciful is a non-negotiable priority, and that the skies over the Grand Mosque are guarded by vigilant hands that never sleep.”

An account in Arabic on X under the name of “The Moroccan Deterrent” with over 246,000 followers: “It is no longer acceptable for American-made defense systems controlled by American experts to protect the airspace of Mecca and its cities. If Saudi Arabia does not manufacture defense systems, which is unlikely in the near future, it would be better to resort to reliable defense systems that Muslim Türkiye has begun to produce. At any time and with any political dispute, America can withdraw or suspend it, and this is known to the leaders of the Saudi army.”

What Happens Next

Rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage will continue to unfold over several days this week.