This weekend, King Khalid Airport, the country's second-largest, was the target of two deadly attacks. At least 12 people were killed and more than 300 injured in one of the attacks.
The Houthi movement in neighboring Yemen has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Seeking reform
The developments threaten Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious plans to develop oil-dependent Saudi Arabia.
In 2016, he launched “Vision 2030,” a reform program aimed at attracting tourists and investors. But foreign investment declined in the first two quarters of this year, according to the country’s statistics agency.
Vision 2030 is about building big skyscrapers, investing in AI and all sorts of exciting things in Saudi Arabia. It should not be a country where you can't fly planes because ballistic missiles are falling, says Middle East analyst Aron Lund at the Swedish National Defence Research Institute (FOI).
Others may be ahead
Formally, 90-year-old King Salman bin Abdulaziz rules the country, but in practice, his 41-year-old son Mohammed bin Salman has long since taken over. Bin Salman is the designated crown prince, but other members of the Saudi royal family are considered to be ahead of him in the order of succession and could take advantage of the current situation, according to Saudi expert Thord Jansson.
His enemies could say that he is not in control, says Thord Jansson, who works at the University of Gothenburg.
However, Jansson says it is difficult to know how much dissatisfaction there is within the royal family.
Iran war complicates matters
It is not possible to see from the outside because no one is saying anything. It may also be that he (the Crown Prince) is aware of the problem and is trying to compensate for it in some way, but my impression is that he is not experienced enough. He is relatively young and probably does not understand how cooperation within the royal family has always worked, says Thord Jansson.
Saudi Arabia has provided military support to Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2015. But the situation has been worsened by Israel and the United States' war with Iran.
Iran has attacked Saudi Arabia in response to the war, and Saudi Arabia is now said to have deficiencies in its air defenses. Sources tell The Wall Street Journal that the kingdom is being forced to move its air defense systems around to protect palaces and energy infrastructure.
If the US and Iran finally reach some kind of agreement, it will probably be easier to de-escalate the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen as well, says Aron Lund.
