Overview
- Saudi Arabia declared the Iranian military attache, his deputy, and three embassy staff persona non grata and ordered them to depart within a day.
- Authorities said the kingdom has been targeted by hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones since the regional war escalated, with most intercepted.
- The Foreign Ministry warned of significant consequences for bilateral relations and affirmed the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
- Al Jazeera reported a drone strike near the SAMREF refinery disrupted oil loadings at Yanbu as Iran has effectively choked tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The expulsions strain the 2023 Saudi-Iran rapprochement, and follow Qatar’s move this week to eject Iran’s military and security attaches in Doha.