As Sudan descended into war last month, Saudi Arabia sent navy ships to evacuate thousands of people from the conflict. When one of the vessels returned home, a female Saudi soldier was filmed carrying a rescued baby ashore.

The images turned her into a celebrity in the kingdom, as accolades for Riyadh’s rescue effort poured in from the US and other countries. The Saudi foreign minister had also led efforts to secure a ceasefire in Sudan. It was the latest moment in a seemingly redemptive arc for Saudi Arabia, which in recent years had earned itself a reputation as a regional troublemaker.

Once a bastion of staid foreign policy, Saudi Arabia adopted a muscular approach from 2015 under then-defence minister, and later Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It led to a series of aggressive moves including a military intervention in Yemen against Houthi rebels, a regional embargo against Qatar and the brief detention of Lebanon’s then-prime minister.