Saudi Arabia will observe Eid al-Fitr on Friday, according to state media

Saudi Arabia has announced that the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, will begin on Friday, according to state media.

The Saudi Press Agency, citing a Supreme Court statement, said Thursday will complete the 30th day of Ramadan, with Friday declared as the first day of the blessed Eid al-Fitr.

The timing of Eid is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, in line with the Islamic lunar calendar.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring Muslims to abstain from food, drink, smoking and marital relations from dawn to dusk. The faithful are also encouraged to give to those in need.

Fasting is widely observed in Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites, including the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.

This year, however, Ramadan observances across the Muslim world have been overshadowed by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The Gulf region has since witnessed repeated retaliatory attacks by Iran, with missiles and drones hitting airports, residential areas, energy facilities and military bases.