Overview
- Saudi Arabia declared Iran’s military attaché, his assistant, and three other embassy staff persona non grata and gave them 24 hours to leave.
- Defence authorities said a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh was intercepted, two others fell in uninhabited areas, and drones over the Eastern Province were shot down.
- Officials tied the expulsions to continued Iranian strikes on Saudi and Gulf territory, including attacks on energy infrastructure and attempts on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.
- The kingdom warned of significant consequences for bilateral ties, reserved the right to respond militarily, and framed its stance under the UN Charter’s Article 51.
- The move follows regional steps as Qatar expelled Iranian attachés last week and the UAE withdrew its embassy staff from Tehran earlier in the conflict, signaling a widening Gulf rift.