Keeping the levers of power within the family, King Salman of Saudi Arabia shook up the Kingdom’s Cabinet on Thursday (December 27) by naming new ministers and security chiefs, along with granting power to son and designated heir Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reports TOI.

The 33-year-old Monarch of Saudi Arabia has been under fire internationally after a team of agents representing the Kingdom killed and dismembered Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October.

Intelligence reports emerging from the west conclude that Mohammed bin Salman knew about the hit and was the one who most likely ordered the plot to kill the dissident. The Saudi Military campaign in Yemen, which has led to a humanitarian crisis, was also directed by the prince and has received strong opposition from the Western powers.

However, the King does not show signs of lessening his son’s grasp over the Kingdom. The Cabinet shake-up on Thursday aligns with this theory as most of those promoted were close associates of Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Changes were made, and new officials were appointed to lead the General Directorate of Public Security, the Information Ministry and the National Guard. The King also ordered the creation of a national space agency to be led by Prince Sultan bin Salman, the first Arab astronaut and also another one of the King’s sons.