Israel has formally designated Iran's central bank as a terrorist organisation, just one day after a ceasefire took effect between the two regional adversaries following nearly two weeks of intense cross-border hostilities.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Wednesday that he had signed a special directive declaring the Central Bank of Iran, two additional Iranian financial institutions, and an Iranian military-linked company as terror organisations.
The move is part of what Katz described as Israel's expanded effort to "cut off the financial lifeline" of Iran-backed militant groups operating across the Middle East.
"This is part of Israel's broader campaign against Iran. It targets the heart of the Iranian regime's terror financing system, which funds, arms, and directs terrorism throughout the region," the statement read.
Ceasefire Holds Despite Tensions
The development comes just one day after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, brokered by the United States and Qatar, ending 12 days of reciprocal missile attacks and drone strikes.
The escalation began after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, prompting an aggressive Iranian response that included missile attacks on Israeli cities. One strike on Tel Aviv's Ramat Aviv neighborhood injured at least 16 people.
The decades-long shadow war between Israel and Iran intensified last October following the Hamas-led attack on Israel, which led to a broader confrontation involving Iranian proxies like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi militias.
Conflict Far From Over
Despite the ceasefire, Israel's military chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, signaled that Israel's strategic confrontation with Iran is far from over.
"We have concluded a significant phase but the campaign against Iran is not over. We are entering a new phase based on the achievements of the current one," Zamir said in a statement Tuesday.
The designation of Iran's central bank as a terrorist entity represents a significant escalation in Israel's economic warfare against Tehran, potentially complicating international financial transactions with Iran even as military tensions appear to be temporarily subsiding.
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