At least three people were killed and five others wounded when rockets struck a house in the Khor Al-Zubair area near Basra, according to security and health officials.

Authorities said the death toll could rise as some victims remained trapped under rubble.Police said demonstrators gathered outside the Kuwaiti consulate before storming the premises, damaging property in response to the attack.

Kuwait condemned the incident, describing the storming and vandalism of its consulate as a serious breach of diplomatic norms. In a statement, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Iraq bears responsibility for ensuring the protection of diplomatic missions on its territory.

The ministry also said Kuwait was not involved in any regional conflict and would not permit its territory to be used as a launch point for attacks against other countries.

The incident highlights heightened tensions in the region amid ongoing instability linked to broader Middle East conflicts.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the ministry said the targeting of Saudi sovereignty, civilian infrastructure, diplomatic missions and economic interests constituted a breach of international norms. It added that the actions violated the Beijing Agreement and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), as well as principles governing state sovereignty and good neighborly relations.

Saudi authorities notified the Iranian embassy that its military attaché, assistant military attaché and three additional staff members had been declared persona non grata and must leave the Kingdom within 24 hours, according to the statement.

The ministry reiterated a previous warning issued on March 9 that continued attacks would represent further escalation and have a “profound impact” on bilateral relations. It also restated the Kingdom’s “categorical condemnation” of Iranian actions against Saudi Arabia, Gulf Cooperation Council states and other Arab and Islamic countries.

Saudi Arabia said it would take all necessary measures to safeguard its security and sovereignty, invoking its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. The statement framed the expulsions as part of a broader response to what it described as repeated violations affecting civilian and strategic targets.

The ministry did not provide additional operational details on the alleged attacks but linked them to a pattern of actions undermining regional stability and diplomatic commitments.

The move comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia warning that continued escalation could have serious consequences for regional relations. The reference to the Beijing Agreement underscores the strain on recent diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing ties between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia’s statement did not indicate any immediate diplomatic follow-up beyond the expulsions but emphasized that further actions would depend on developments on the ground.