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Saudia Arabia's King Salman, 84, was hospitalized Monday for tests after suffering gallbladder inflammation, heightening speculation about his health, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: Salman's successor looks to be his son, 34-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). While MBS has moved to showcase himself as a modernizer to Western allies, he has also presided over wide-ranging crackdowns of Saudi elites and the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasgoggi.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman is hospitalized

It has reignited concerns about the 84-year-old's health.

Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is speaking while sitting in a gold chair

Photo: Bandar Algaloud/Saudi Arabia's royal council/Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

World

Saudi Arabia

Saudia Arabia&#x27;s King Salman, 84, was hospitalized Monday for tests after suffering gallbladder inflammation, heightening speculation about his health, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Wall Street Journal reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-arabias-octogenarian-king-admitted-to-hospital-for-checks-11595241100" data-vars-content-id="1694e8bb-5594-47f4-a0b7-c0b5089c4d31" data-vars-headline="Saudi Arabia&#x27;s King Salman is hospitalized" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-arabias-octogenarian-king-admitted-to-hospital-for-checks-11595241100" target="_blank">the Wall Street Journal reports</a>.Why it matters: Salman&#x27;s successor looks to be his son, 34-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). While MBS has moved to showcase himself as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a modernizer to Western allies" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/mohammed-bin-salman-meeting-oprah-obama-bush-trump-clinton-d28b83db-6965-49c0-a407-6b2d493dd059.html" data-vars-content-id="1694e8bb-5594-47f4-a0b7-c0b5089c4d31" data-vars-headline="Saudi Arabia&#x27;s King Salman is hospitalized" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/mohammed-bin-salman-meeting-oprah-obama-bush-trump-clinton-d28b83db-6965-49c0-a407-6b2d493dd059.html" target="_self">a modernizer to Western allies</a>, he has also presided over <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wide-ranging crackdowns of Saudi elites" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/saudi-crown-prince-consolidates-power-after-round-of-arrests-1513306691-5f1dde83-5426-4772-a46a-9daca91034f3.html" data-vars-content-id="1694e8bb-5594-47f4-a0b7-c0b5089c4d31" data-vars-headline="Saudi Arabia&#x27;s King Salman is hospitalized" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/saudi-crown-prince-consolidates-power-after-round-of-arrests-1513306691-5f1dde83-5426-4772-a46a-9daca91034f3.html" target="_self">wide-ranging crackdowns of Saudi elites</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasgoggi" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/cia-report-mohammed-bin-salman-ordered-khashoggi-killing-aa0089fb-c884-4a3e-a0b8-59192aaf53ea.html" data-vars-content-id="1694e8bb-5594-47f4-a0b7-c0b5089c4d31" data-vars-headline="Saudi Arabia&#x27;s King Salman is hospitalized" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/cia-report-mohammed-bin-salman-ordered-khashoggi-killing-aa0089fb-c884-4a3e-a0b8-59192aaf53ea.html" target="_self">the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasgoggi</a>.

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Saudi Arabia's King Salman is hospitalized

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