Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia threw pebbles at a large pillar in a symbolic ritual during the final days of Hajj. This act is seen as a symbolic stoning of the devil. The last days of Hajj coincide with the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, which Muslims around the world started celebrating Wednesday. In Saudi Arabia, large crowds moved through the Jamarat complex after collecting pebbles overnight. The Hajj is required once in a lifetime of every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able. This year, the pilgrimage was held in intense heat. It also started against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.