Tehran : – Iran has warned it will strike US and Israeli economic centres across West Asia after an attack on an Iranian bank in Tehran, according to state media reports. The warning was issued by the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, the country’s central military operational command, which identified potential targets in the region.
“The enemy has given us free rein to target economic centres and banks belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime,” the command said in a statement broadcast by state television. The announcement came following what Iranian officials described as a combined Israeli-American strike on a banking facility in Tehran, which reportedly killed several bank employees.
Iran’s warning emphasizes that US and Israeli economic centres are now considered potential targets. State media reported that Tehran authorities advised residents to stay at least 1,000 metres away from banks as a precautionary measure.
The threat has triggered concerns for major financial hubs across the region, particularly in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, which host significant international banking institutions. Experts say the warning could disrupt regional economic stability and increase tensions in global markets.
As part of its military operations, Iran launched drones near Dubai International Airport, wounding four people, and struck commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, forcing most crew members to abandon a container vessel after it caught fire. Regional air defences were activated, with Kuwait shooting down eight Iranian drones and Saudi Arabia intercepting missiles targeting its Shaybah oil field and Prince Sultan Air Base.
The attacks have temporarily halted most shipping traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments. Analysts warn that by targeting US and Israeli economic centres, Iran aims to exert global economic pressure on Washington and Tel Aviv to cease their strikes on Iranian facilities.
Iran’s military escalation and the warning to hit US and Israeli economic centres have sparked international concern, highlighting the fragile security situation in West Asia and the potential impact on global financial and energy markets.