Iran Brings US, Israel-Linked Banks, Economic Hubs Under Radar As War Escalates

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday threatened the United States and Israel over attacks on its economic and banking interests, saying financial centres are its targets in response to the strikes on a bank in Iran on March 10.

"Tehran will hit economic and banking centres linked to the US and Israel in the region," the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted a spokesperson of the IRGC's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters as saying.

The Mehr News Agency reported that Bank Sepah, the IRGC's primary financial institution in the country, was hit overnight in Tehran. "Following their failed campaign, the terrorist US army and cruel Zionist regime (Israel) have targeted one of the country's banks," Ebrahim Zolfaqari said on national media.

He said the US and Israel are forcing Iran to retaliate equally. "With this illegitimate and uncommon action, the enemy is forcing our hand to target economic centres and banks linked to the US and Zionist regime in the region," he added. He also warned people in the region to stay 1,000 metres away from banks.

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After the threat, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain are on alert as they are seen as the major regional financial hubs.

On Wednesday, Iran attacked Dubai International Airport with drones. Iran also targeted commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman.

The US tech giants' offices and infrastructure in Israel and Gulf countries are among Iranian targets, Al Jazeera reported, citing Tasnim News Agency, which has released a list of new targets mentioning US-run offices and infrastructure as the conflict in the Middle East drags on.

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