Skip to main content
The Morning Star Shop
The night of the long knives in Riyadh
JOE GILL writes on the Saudi crown prince’s bid to remove his rivals and the West’s interest in the kingdom’s game of thrones

THE Gulf region has seen nothing like it for decades. Saudi Arabia, which avoided the fate of other Arab regimes in the 2011 uprisings, and threw its money and support behind the overthrow of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad but failed to topple him, is in lockdown.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has dressed up his purge of rivals as an anti-corruption drive but very few believe this.

He’s getting rid of all his rivals for the throne before he replaces his ailing father, King Salman. And he’s doing it with the confidence that the US president is fully behind him.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to members of staff during a visit to Leonardo, a defence contractor in Luton, to launch UAS StormShroud into operational service, May 2, 2025
Features / 4 May 2025
4 May 2025

JOE GILL looks at research on the reasons people voted as they did last week and concludes Labour is finished unless it ditches Starmer and changes course

Mourners gather around the bodies of 8 Red Crescent emergenc
Features / 3 April 2025
3 April 2025
The massacre of Red Crescent and civil defence aid workers has elicited little coverage and no condemnation by major powers — this is the age of lawlessness, warns JOE GILL
The office of Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and
Features / 2 March 2025
2 March 2025
The trio were given a conditional discharge and £600 penalties after painting ‘Stop arming Israel’ on Science Secretary Peter Kyle’s window in frustration at being ignored despite attempts to meet their MP, reports JOE GILL
Features / 23 January 2025
23 January 2025
JOE GILL hazards a guess: Musk’s salute was a message to all of the world’s far-right legions: now is our time
Similar stories
US President Donald Trump smiles at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after signing a proclamation at the White House in Washington, March 25, 2019
Middle East / 24 June 2025
24 June 2025

While Trump praises the ‘successful’ attack on Iranian nuclear sites, the question arises as to the real motives behind this escalation. MARC VANDEPITTE explores the issues

Smoke rises from a location reportedly struck by U.S. airstr
Editorial: / 16 March 2025
16 March 2025