Iran and Hezbollah Retaliate Against Israel as Civilian Vessel Casualties Continue in the Strait of Hormuz

by Oh Kuemin

Published 12 Mar.2026 19:15(KST)

Iran and Hezbollah, the pro-Iranian armed faction in Lebanon, have announced that they attacked Israel. In the Strait of Hormuz area, civilian vessels have also suffered a series of incidents.

On March 12, 2026 (local time), according to international media outlets such as CNN, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that, together with Hezbollah, it carried out a joint operation for about five hours, striking over 50 targets across Israel. Hezbollah also released a statement saying it had launched advanced missiles at the headquarters of Unit 8200, an Israeli military intelligence unit on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

In response, Israel launched large-scale retaliatory airstrikes targeting Hezbollah facilities throughout Lebanon. Targets included intelligence headquarters and command centers in southern Beirut. According to Lebanon’s health authorities, at least seven people were killed and 21 injured in an airstrike along the Beirut coastline on the same day, and three more people died in Aramoun, about 10 kilometers south of Beirut.

In the Gulf region, attacks also continued against civilian infrastructure such as energy facilities and airports. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior reported that a fuel tank in Muharraq Governorate was attacked, sparking a fire, and advised residents to shelter indoors and seal ventilation systems. Off the coast near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a container ship was hit by an unidentified projectile, while in Kuwait, a drone crashed into a residential building, injuring two people. Saudi Arabia announced that it had intercepted a drone heading for the capital, Riyadh.

Iran and Hezbollah Retaliate Against Israel as Civilian Vessel Casualties Continue in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that a building related to Sepah Bank in Tehran was attacked. Iran has warned that it could target US- and Israel-linked banks across the Middle East. In response, financial institutions such as Citigroup, Standard Chartered (SC), Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, and PwC either closed their Dubai offices or evacuated staff, while HSBC temporarily closed its Qatar branch.

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz area are also rising. The IRGC claimed to have attacked four vessels registered in Israel, Thailand, and Japan, alleging that they ignored warnings and continued navigation. Since the outbreak of the conflict, the number of vessels attacked in this region has risen to at least 16.

The Thai-flagged cargo ship “Mayurinari” was attacked by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with three crew members missing. The remaining 20 crew members were rescued by the Omani navy. The Japanese-flagged container ship “One Majesty” was also attacked near UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah, sustaining partial damage.

Additionally, at Iraq’s Basra port, fires broke out on two oil tankers. Twenty-five crew members were rescued, but one foreign crew member was killed. Since Basra is about 800 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz, there are assessments that the threat is expanding across the Gulf region. The IRGC warned, “If attacks against Iran continue, not a single drop of oil will be exported from this region.”