The 41-year-old crown prince has sharply tightened his security as the Saudi capital increasingly comes under fire from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants. His last public appearance was Tuesday, when he donated blood as part of a national campaign, according to the report.
Houthi missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh
On Saturday, at least one Houthi missile struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing at least 12 people and injuring hundreds, many seriously. Two terminals sustained extensive damage, with sections of their roofs collapsing. Among the victims was a 28-year-old Egyptian flight attendant who bled to death after losing an arm, according to officials briefed on the attack.
Video verified by Storyful showed passengers evacuating the airport with their suitcases, passing a trail of blood on the floor. The attacks continued Sunday, when another projectile reportedly struck the closed airport, igniting a fire in Terminal 4 and causing further injuries.
The escalating strikes have transformed parts of Riyadh into a conflict zone. Residents have been forced to seek shelter as explosions echo across the capital. Workers in the city’s financial district, students at several international schools and diplomats have been instructed to evacuate buildings or take cover.
On Thursday, debris from an intercepted ballistic missile struck a kindergarten and a medical clinic complex, highlighting the danger to civilian areas even when incoming missiles are successfully intercepted.
Saudi officials have warned that the kingdom is running low on missile interceptors, according to the Journal. With large areas to defend and attacks targeting multiple locations, Saudi Arabia has been moving air-defense batteries between strategic sites, including royal palaces and vital energy infrastructure.
The growing threat comes as Mohammed bin Salman faces mounting pressure over his ambitious economic transformation program. For years, the crown prince has sought to turn Saudi Arabia into a global destination for tourism, investment and technology, investing enormous sums in futuristic developments such as Neom and major new projects in Riyadh.
Those ambitions are now being threatened by the deteriorating security situation. Houthi attacks have targeted airports, refineries and the East-West oil pipeline, which allows Saudi Arabia to export oil through the Red Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The militants have also threatened Red Sea shipping, undermining another vital economic lifeline.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
(Photo: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
According to the Journal, a major international investment conference scheduled for late October is increasingly in doubt as the attacks threaten international travel and investor confidence.
The economic outlook was already deteriorating. Foreign investment declined during the first half of the year, several flagship megaprojects have stalled or come under review, and the Saudi Finance Ministry now expects the economy to contract by 3.6% in 2026.
Mohammed bin Salman is also facing difficult military decisions. Although Washington has provided military advisers, the United States has so far resisted Saudi requests for direct assistance in reversing Houthi territorial gains in Yemen, the Journal reported.
President Donald Trump said over the weekend that Washington was communicating with the Houthis but could join Saudi strikes against the group. “What they did was very bad,” he said following the airport attack.
Saudi Arabia has also sought assistance from Pakistan and is searching internationally for additional air-defense systems, while exploring possible diplomatic solutions to contain the confrontation.
For the crown prince, the crisis now threatens both the security of his capital and the economic transformation on which he has staked much of his leadership. With missiles reaching Riyadh, civilian infrastructure under attack and his own movements taking place between fortified palaces, Saudi Arabia faces a growing challenge to its efforts to present itself as a safe destination for international business and investment.