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Iran says coastal attack will lead to full Gulf closure and mine-laying

An attack on Iran's southern coast and islands will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, the country's Defence Council said on Monday, according to state media. The US is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, according to Axios. "Any attempt to attack Iran's coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf (...) to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast," the statement read. "In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time (...) One should not forget the failure of more than 100 minesweepers in the 1980s in removing a few sea mines." The Defence Council recalled that non-belligerent states can only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating passage with Iran...
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No summer Hajj for next 16 years, Saudi weather agency announces

Saudi Arabia’s National Meteorological Center has announced that the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage will be the last to take place during the intense summer heat for the next 16 years, as the Islamic calendar gradually shifts the annual event into cooler months. Beginning in 2026, the pilgrimage will move into spring and then winter due to the Islamic lunar calendar’s annual drift of approximately 10 days. Hajj is expected to fall in the spring from 2026 to 2033, and in winter from 2034 to 2041, before returning to the summer in 2042. The shift offers relief to millions of pilgrims who have faced soaring temperatures in recent years. During the 2024 pilgrimage, temperatures in Mecca reached between 46 and 51 degrees Celsius, leading to more than 2,700 heatstroke cases in a single day and several heat-related deaths, according to official figures. In response to increasing climate challenges, Saudi authorities have expanded efforts to protect pilgrims. Measures include shaded walkways, additional water distribution points, mobile cooling units, and public campaigns on heat safety. The Kingdom also introduced 33 new weather monitoring stations in 2024 and increased the use of mobile radars to track real-time conditions across Hajj routes. With more than 1.8 million pilgrims expected for Hajj 2025, officials say preparations are underway to manage what is expected to be the final summer-season pilgrimage before a long-awaited shift to milder weather.

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