Battle of Mecca (1924) Battle of Mecca (1924) Battle of Mecca took place in Mecca, in what is now known today as Saudi Arabia, following the fall of Ta'if to King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud in his campaign to conquer the Kingdom of Hejaz. King Hussein bin Ali fled from Mecca to Jeddah, leaving behind a cache of weapons in the Qishla of Mecca which were recovered by Saudi forces. The battle in Mecca resulted in Hashemite defeat to Saudis and the allied Ikhwan. Hussein fled again, first to Aqaba and later to Cyprus, declaring his son Ali bin Hussein as the King of Hejaz.
Mecca infrastructure, home to structures such as the Abraj Al Bait, also known as the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel, the world's fourth tallest building and the building with the third largest amount of floor area. During this expansion, Mecca has lost some historical structures and archaeological sites, such as the Ajyad Fortress. Today, more than 15 million Muslims visit Mecca annually, including several million during the few days of the Hajj. As a result, Mecca has become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Muslim world, although non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city. "Mecca" is the familiar form