In his annual address to the Shoura Council on Wednesday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivered a speech that was both a strategic compass and a declaration of intent. It was a moment of clarity and reassurance in a region often clouded by uncertainty.

Israel’s blocking of an Arab delegation, preventing it from entering the West Bank at the weekend, is yet another reminder of the ugly, immoral nature of its ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands.

The words “historic” and “groundbreaking” are probably used far too often by pundits. Sometimes, they are awfully misplaced, such as when used in contexts like that of former US President Barack Obama’s Cairo speech of 2009.

As President Donald Trump prepares to return to Saudi Arabia for what is expected to be the first international stop in this new chapter of his political life, the significance of the visit cannot be overstated — nor could its timing be more crucial.

Military escalations are always worrying, but as we have witnessed on and since Oct. 7 last year, the gloves in the Middle East are now well and truly off. It is like a Royal Rumble match with no referee, and with none of the wrestlers willing to end the fight when they hear the bell.