Middle East tensions escalate! Iran launched approximately 100 missiles towards Israel in the early morning, causing 17 injuries, with US military assisting in intercepting within the regional air defense network.
Israel Threatens Retaliation
Iran's retaliation targets the Israeli military's secret operation near Tehran the previous day. Israel deployed drones to strike ballistic missile launchers, the Natanz nuclear facility, and multiple military bases, also assassinating high-ranking Iranian military officers and nuclear scientists. After the escalation, Netanyahu urgently convened a security meeting, with Katz stating:
"The Israeli military will protect the country and its people, and Iran will pay the price for these actions."
Immediate Market Reaction: Stocks, Oil, and Currencies
Geopolitical risks have triggered risk-averse sentiment. According to Google Finance data, the four major US stock indices further declined after Iran's retaliatory action:
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 1.79%, or 769.83 points, at 42,197.79 points
- S&P 500 Index: Down 1.13%, or 68.29 points, at 5,976.97 points
- Nasdaq Index: Down 1.3%, or 255.66 points, at 19,406.83 points
- Philadelphia Semiconductor Index: Down 2.61%, or 136.91 points, at 5,112.24 points
At the same time, crude oil surged, with West Texas Intermediate rising 9% to $74, and Brent briefly spiking 13%.
Bitcoin has shown no significant movement, currently at $105,529, up 1.62% in the past 24 hours.
