Bunkers, handpicked guards: How Saudi Prince moves between palaces amid Houthi threat

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman travels between heavily fortified palaces as Yemen's Houthi attacks continue, per the Wall Street Journal. The 41-year-old leader has been receiving round-the-clock protection from an exclusive security detail, according to officials familiar with his movements. The Saudi monarch's last public appearance was on Tuesday, when he donated blood as part of a national blood drive.

Saudi Arabia is grappling with the challenge of safeguarding its critical infrastructure and economic assets from further Houthi assaults. A Houthi missile strike on Riyadh's international airport on Saturday claimed at least 12 lives and left hundreds injured, marking the deadliest attack on U.S. or Gulf allies in the Iran-linked conflicts. The Houthis have targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh four times.

Prince Mohammed's involvement in Yemen's civil war began in 2015 when he supported the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. The Saudi-led intervention featured devastating airstrikes that escalated the conflict and incited the Houthis' assaults on oil facilities and cities like Riyadh. After a stalemate, both parties agreed to a ceasefire in 2022.

The fresh wave of violence occurs as Prince Mohammed attempts to curb the Iran conflict's fallout. Early Iranian strikes highlighted the vulnerability of energy facilities and economic assets, including airports, across the Gulf. To bolster security, Saudi authorities are reallocating air defense batteries to protect palaces and energy infrastructure.

Moreover, Riyadh is pursuing a more direct U.S. role in countering Houthi attacks. While Washington has offered intelligence sharing, target identification, and planning assistance for a Saudi-led offensive, it has not launched strikes against the rebels. U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at possible military action against the Houthis following the deadly Riyadh airport attack.

However, U.S. involvement risks escalating the conflict and endangering a crucial global shipping route. The Houthis could target traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, potentially further straining global oil supplies already impacted by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Before the U.S.-Iran war, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil traversed the strategic waterway.

The Houthis seized key areas along the Bab el-Mandeb last month. The Saudi-led coalition, backing forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognized government, has been striving to regain control.