Iran has warned it will target 'economic and banking centres' linked to the United States and Israel across West Asia following what it described as an attack on an Iranian bank, as per statements carried by state media.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters issued a statement identifying the targets. "The enemy has given us free rein to target economic centres and banks belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime," said the military's central operational command in a statement carried by state TV.
The spokesperson warned people of the region to stay 1,000 metres away from banks.
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The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said the move comes after what it described as an Israeli-American attack on an Iranian banking facility.
State media reported US and Israeli strikes hit a bank in Tehran overnight, killing an unspecified number of employees.
Iranian media reported that staff at a bank in Tehran were killed in the airstrikes, prompting the warning from the military command.
“Tehran will hit economic and banking centres linked to the US and Israel in the region,” the spokesperson said, according to state news agency IRNA.
{{/usCountry}}“Tehran will hit economic and banking centres linked to the US and Israel in the region,” the spokesperson said, according to state news agency IRNA.
{{/usCountry}}The threat raises concerns for regional financial hubs, particularly Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts a large number of international banks and financial institutions. Other potential areas of concern include Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, both home to major regional financial centres.
The statement came as Iran widened its military campaign across the Gulf. Iranian drones struck near Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest international travel hubs and home to Emirates, wounding four people though flights continued operating, according to officials.
Iran also targeted commercial shipping across the Gulf. A projectile struck a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, setting it ablaze and forcing most of the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military said. Separate incidents were reported involving vessels near the UAE and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf.
Regional defences were activated as Iranian drones and missiles were launched toward multiple Gulf states. Kuwait said its air defences downed eight Iranian drones, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones headed toward the kingdom’s Shaybah oil field and destroyed ballistic missiles targeting Prince Sultan Air Base, a facility jointly operated by Saudi and US forces.
The attacks have effectively halted most cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor through which about a fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass. Iran has also targeted oil infrastructure across Gulf Arab nations, a move analysts say is aimed at raising global economic pressure on Washington and Israel to halt their strikes.