The Economist reports that 2026 is expected to be the most difficult year for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as three of his major gambles have failed sequentially: the war against the Houthis, the plan to transform the Saudi economy, and reliance on Donald Trump as an ally.

In Yemen, the Houthis have expanded their control and renewed attacks against Saudi Arabia, leaving Riyadh without a promising military or political solution. The gamble on Trump also proved to be a failure; despite bin Salman's efforts to gain his favor, the US president did not provide the security the Saudis hoped for. Furthermore, the US war against Iran undermined the ceasefire in Yemen and exacerbated the Houthi threat to the Kingdom.