Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc. have told staffers in Dubai to stay away from their offices as Iran's attacks on Gulf cities continue.
Goldman has instructed employees to seek permission before going into its offices across the Middle East, according to people familiar with the matter.
Standard Chartered Plc also asked staff in the Dubai International Financial Centre and nearby areas to leave their offices on Wednesday, the people said, declining to be identified discussing confidential information.
"Proceed to the nearest safe place away from the office," Citigroup said in a memo to staff, the contents of which were confirmed by a spokesperson. "Please work from home until further notice."
Several Wall Street banks have already been allowing employees in the United Arab Emirates to work remotely since the war began. Some lenders have also offered staff the option to temporarily leave the country, Bloomberg News has reported.
The latest moves come as the Associated Press reported that Iran's joint military command said banks and financial institutions are now targets in the Middle East. The AP report didn't cite a specific military spokesperson or official.
A representative for Goldman declined to comment. A DIFC spokesperson said it had not ordered an evacuation, while ICD Brookfield Place, the hub's largest commercial tower, said it remains operational.
Citigroup said in a statement that all of its employees are accounted for and safe, and it's continued to serve clients without interruption.
"The vast majority of our people in the UAE have been working remotely, and we have now moved to a fully remote model for all UAE-based colleagues," the New York-based lender said in a statement. "The decision to evacuate three of our buildings in the UAE was made out of an abundance of caution."
Standard Chartered said it's monitoring the situation closely, though it emphasized in a statement that the UAE and other markets across the Gulf "remain an important part of our global network."
The latest developments come as Iran continues to strike targets across the Middle East. Dubai International Airport briefly halted operations earlier on Wednesday after drones came down at the facility, injuring four people at the world's busiest international hub.
Air traffic has been disrupted in the region since the war began on Feb. 28, stranding thousands of passengers.
The threat to shipping from the conflict has also been escalating. Three vessels were hit by suspected projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf on Wednesday, one of the heaviest days of attacks since the Iran war began.
The strait has been largely impassable since the early stages of the war, sending crude oil prices surging and raising fears of an inflation shock.
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