Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is being moved between heavily guarded palaces equipped with bunkers amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, report The Independent.
The 41-year-old crown prince has not been seen in public since Tuesday (6 October), when he appeared at a national blood donation drive, the British newspaper reported, citing a Wall Street Journal report based on officials familiar with his movements.
He is reportedly being escorted by a handpicked security team as tensions and fighting intensify between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi group.
Saudi Arabia suffered one of its deadliest attacks in a decade on Saturday, when an assault on Riyadh's international airport killed 13 people and injured at least 300, according to The Independent.
US President Donald Trump has said he is considering joining Saudi strikes against the Houthis, while Riyadh's allies under the Mecca Pact have also expressed support, the report said.
The Independent said it had contacted the Saudi foreign ministry for comment.
Airport attacks and air defence concerns
A Houthi spokesperson reiterated the group's intention to target Saudi airports following the attack, according to the report.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which has reportedly been struck four times in five days, has remained closed since the weekend missile attack. Around 60% of scheduled flights at the airport were expected to be cancelled on Monday (12 October), according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom's response would be "equally serious", reflecting the gravity of the attacks.
Saudi officials have also raised concerns about dwindling stocks of interceptors needed to defend against further strikes.
According to officials cited by The Associated Press last month, Saudi Arabia had sought air defence support from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt. One official said the United States had also seen its interceptor stocks decline during the war involving Iran.
Conflict escalates after ceasefire breakdown
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has its roots in Yemen's civil war, which prompted Riyadh to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
A fragile ceasefire was agreed in 2022, but the arrangement broke down in July this year amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, The Independent reported.
The Houthis resumed attacks after accusing Saudi Arabia of firing on Sanaa airport while a plane from Iran was attempting to land.
Iran, which backs the Houthis, has expressed concern over the escalation. Iranian military spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the fighting would benefit Israel.
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran reportedly spoke late on Sunday about the worsening situation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned against relying on military action while ignoring the political dimensions of the conflict. He also said Te