Reuters reports about the discontent among members of the Saudi royal family about the Crown Prince’s administration after the Aramco attack and unanimous loss of confidence in his foreign policies in Yemen and the direction of Iran and governance in the country

Reuters news agency highlighted the growing resentment and discontent among some members of the Saudi royal family and businessmen who expressed their frustration with the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, after the missile attack and drones carried out by the movement “Ansar Allah” Houthi and hit the backbone of the oil industry in the Kingdom by firing dozens of missiles and missiles at the Aramco refineries in Abqaiq and Khurais, and negatively affected its infrastructure, paralyze the oil industry and reduce the Kingdom’s oil production by about five million barrels, or half the rate.

The agency quoted a senior foreign diplomat and five other sources, who asked not to be named, with ties to the royal family and business elite that this raised concern among a number of prominent branches of the powerful Saudi royal family about the ability of Prince Salman to defend the largest exporter Of the world’s oil and its leadership.

The sources said, “The attack aroused indignation among some who believe in elite circles that the crown prince sought to tighten his grip on power, and some of those said that he took an aggressive attitude towards Iran after the attack on Aramco facilities”.

“There is great resentment” at the crown prince’s leadership over the kingdom’s failure to monitor the attack, especially as he has spent tens of billions of dollars to buy US arms deals over the past five years, he said.

Besides being the de facto ruler of the country.

All sources unanimously agreed that the ruling elite had lost faith in the crown prince in governing the kingdom.

“There is a lack of confidence in his ability to secure the country, which is a result of his policies”, said Neil Quilliam, a researcher at the Chatham House think tank in London, noting that Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversees foreign, security and defense policy.

The September 14 attacks targeted two oil processing plants for Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco, which initially halted half of the kingdom’s oil production, which accounts for 5 percent of global oil production, and oil experts believe the kingdom’s return to production rates.

Natural, about 10.2 million barrels needs several months.

Saudi Arabia has blamed Iran, an assessment shared by US officials.

But Iranian officials have denied involvement in the attack, or other attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

The attack stoked resentment that began since Prince Salman took office five years ago, displacing his rivals to the throne and arresting hundreds of prominent figures in the kingdom over allegations of prolonged corruption, confiscating their money and assets, and preventing them from leaving the kingdom after their release.

Among them were Prince Khalid bin Talal, brother of Prince Al Walid bin Talal who has been in prison for more than two years and refuses to release him.

Among those arrested were Prince Al Walid bin Talal himself, Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, former head of the National Guard, and a large number of businessmen.

Such as Mohammed Al Amoudi, Saleh Kamel, and Walid Al Ibrahim, and Khalid Tuwaijri, former Chief of the Royal Court.

Prince Salman’s reputation abroad has been damaged by a costly war in Yemen against the Iranian-allied Houthi group.

Bin Salman has also come under international criticism for the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi a year ago at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.

The anniversary of the killing of Khashoggi in an interview broadcast on the channel “CBS” US “as the crime took place during his rule.

In a television interview, the crown prince said that defending Saudi Arabia is difficult given the size of the kingdom and the range of threats it faces.

“It is difficult to cover all this completely,” he said.

He also called for “strong and firm” global action to deter Iran, but said he favored a “peaceful solution” over a military solution.

According to sources interviewed by Reuters, there is widespread criticism within the Saudi ruling elite and businessmen of the “aggressive” foreign policy pursued by the Saudi prince towards Iran and his involvement in the Yemen war, which in their opinion was the reason behind the attacks on the Kingdom, and expressed their frustration Bin Salman couldn’t prevent the attacks, despite spending hundreds of billions of dollars on defense.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman overthrew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef from the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Interior two years ago.

The former crown prince had nearly 20 years of experience in senior positions in the ministry, which was responsible for local police and intelligence, and countering terrorist movements.

An assassination attempt carried out by an Al Qaeda operative.

His 33-year-old cousin, Prince Salman, was appointed to replace him after he placed key intelligence and counter-terrorism sectors under the royal court.

The Crown Prince also overthrew Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who had overseen and effectively commanded the National Guard since 1996.

He was eventually replaced late last year by Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, 32, then deputy governor of the Mecca region. For less than two years before that he worked in the business.

Saudi insiders and Western diplomats say the family is unlikely to oppose Prince Mohammed bin Salman while the king is alive.

Saud and the appointment of Crown Prince Faisal in his place for reasons said to be related to extravagance and mismanagement of the government.

King Salman transferred most of the government’s responsibilities to his son, but he still presides over weekly cabinet meetings and receives foreign dignitaries, but his son bin Salman runs the state.

Insiders and diplomats say that regardless of what happens in the future after the king, challenging the authority of Prince Mohammed bin Salman may be difficult with his tight grip on internal security, the military and intelligence and his repressive policies of his opponents and opponents.

Some princes see Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz, 77, the only surviving brother of King Salman, after the death of five of the seven Sudairi princes, King Fahd, and princes Nayef, Turki Wustan and Abdul Rahman, as a possible alternative that enjoys the support of family members and the apparatus.

Prince Ahmad has confirmed in a rare television recording his opposition to the Yemen war while in London a year ago, according to two of the five sources with ties to the Saudi elite.

“They all look at the prince Ahmed to see what he will do”, said one senior businessman.

The family still believes he is the only one who can preserve it”, he said.

There is no evidence that Prince Ahmed is ready to do so, according to Saudi observers.

Prince Ahmed has no official role and has been largely out of sight since returning to Riyadh in October 2018 after spending two and a half months abroad.

On the trip he appeared to criticize Saudi leadership as he responded to demonstrators outside his London residence.

They chanted the fall of the Saud family and demanded that those who made the decision to wage war on Yemen, not the entire ruling family, be blamed.

Prince Ahmad was one of only three members of the Allegiance Council, which includes senior members of the royal family, who opposed Prince Mohammed bin Salman becoming crown prince in 2017, according to two Saudi sources at the time.