Social media users began sharing unverified reports and a video clip on early Tuesday morning, May 7th, alleging an assassination attempt on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The reports indicated that a heavily armed security convoy transporting the Crown Prince and several senior officials was attacked. It was claimed that a car bombing occurred, resulting in casualties and injuries, although Prince bin Salman reportedly evaded harm.
A widely circulated video on social media depicted a burning car and the presence of police forces. The accompanying caption stated, "Arab sources are reporting an assassination attempt against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "The post cautioned that there was no confirmation at the time and suggested that the video depicted a security incident in Riyadh.
The original post was initially shared by a user named Winter Inter on X. It actually originated from a fire incident in Riyadh that the Civil Defense had responded to on March 16, 2024. The General Directorate of Civil Defense posted on X confirming that they had extinguished a fire in two vehicles following a traffic accident with no reported injuries.
Several Saudi journalists confirmed the video's connection to an older accident and expressed frustration. They advised the public to rely on reputable sources, exercise caution when consuming and sharing news, particularly concerning sensitive topics like this.
