The King of Saudi Arabia has been admitted to hospital for a medical examination.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has undergone a medical examination today, just weeks after his pacemaker battery was replaced, state-run media reported.
An official statement from the Saudi Arabian News Agency did not provide further details about King Salman’s health or the nature of his medical examination. The 86-year-old monarch was admitted to King Faisal Special Hospital in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.
Although the king handed over control of his day-to-day affairs to his 36-year-old son, Mohammed bin Salman, he still wields complete control over the kingdom. Thus the health of the king is meticulously monitored.
King Salman ascended the throne in 2015 and appointed his 36-year-old son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as his successor. However, he has already authorized Prince Mohammed to direct day-to-day affairs.
Crown Prince Mohammed is ready to seize full power after the death of his father. Under his rule, Saudi Arabia has embarked on ambitious economic reforms for a post-oil era and given more rights to women, while adopting a more assertive foreign policy, including war in neighboring Yemen.
Earlier this year, state media reported that Salman was admitted to a hospital in Riyadh to have his heart pacemaker battery replaced.
In 2020, he underwent surgery to remove his gallbladder after he was hospitalized, which revived speculation about his health.