Saudi General Who Led 1979 Makkah Grand Mosque Operation Dies in Jeddah

Retired Saudi Major General Faleh bin Mohammed bin Manawir Al-Dhahiri died in Jeddah at the age of 86 on September 9, 2026. He was best known for commanding the military operation that ended the 1979 seizure of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. The operation began after armed men led by Juhayman al-Otaibi took control of the Grand Mosque on November 20, 1979, and concluded on December 4, with Al-Dhahiri himself sustaining injuries.

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Born in Makkah in 1939 and raised in Abha, Al-Dhahiri followed his father into military service. He graduated from the military school in Taif and underwent parachute, commando and infantry training, along with advanced command and staff studies in the United States. During his distinguished career, he held several senior positions, including director of training for the Land Forces and commander of the Northwestern Region in Tabuk.

Faleh Al-Dhahiri, Veteran Saudi Military Commander, Passes Away at 86

Al-Dhahiri later served as commander of King Abdulaziz Military College. His family continued its military tradition, with his son Major General Walid Al-Dhahiri also serving in senior positions. Funeral prayers for Faleh Al-Dhahiri were held after Dhuhr in Jeddah on the day of his death, followed by his burial in an adjacent cemetery.