Saudi Crown Prince shifts between residences amid Houthi threat
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is moving between heavily guarded palaces equipped with bunkers as the kingdom faces renewed Houthi attacks amid the wider conflict linked to the Iran war, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.The crown prince’s last public appearance was on Tuesday, when he donated blood as part of a national donation drive.The 41-year-old crown prince is being protected by a handpicked security team, officials familiar with his movements said, as reported by Wall Street Journal.Saudi Arabia is struggling to shield key infrastructure and economic assets from further Houthi aattacks.At least one Houthi missile struck Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday, killing at least 12 people and injuring hundreds, many of them seriously.
It was the deadliest attack on the United States or its Gulf allies in conflicts linked to the Iran war.The Houthis have struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at least four times.Prince Mohammed brought Saudi Arabia into Yemen’s civil war in 2015, backing the internationally recognised government against the Houthis. The Saudi-led intervention involved devastating airstrikes that intensified the conflict and fuelled the Houthis’ campaign against the kingdom, including attacks on oil facilities and cities such as Riyadh.
The two sides fought to a stalemate before agreeing to a ceasefire in 2022.The latest outbreak of violence comes as Prince Mohammed seeks to contain the confrontation with Iran. Attacks launched by Tehran early in the war exposed the vulnerability of energy facilities and economic assets, including airports, across the Gulf.Saudi Arabia is also struggling to provide air defence coverage across its vast territory.
The kingdom has been shifting air defence batteries to protect palaces and energy infrastructure, people familiar with its deliberations said.Saudi Arabia is also seeking a more direct US role in countering Houthi attacks. Washington has provided intelligence sharing, target identification and planning support for a Saudi-led offensive but has so far refrained from launching strikes against the rebels.US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he was considering military action against the Houthis following the deadly attack on Riyadh’s international airport.However, US intervention could widen the conflict and threaten a critical global shipping route. The Houthis could attempt to disrupt traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden near Yemen.Such a disruption could further restrict global oil supplies, already affected by Iran’s efforts to choke off the Strait of Hormuz. Before the US-Iran war began, about one-fifth of the world’s oil passed through the strategic waterway.The Houthis seized key areas along the Bab el-Mandeb last month. The Saudi-led coalition, which backs forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has been trying to retake those areas.