{"id":59247,"date":"2026-02-28T03:38:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T07:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-massive-joint-military-strikes-against-iran-markets-braced-for-escalation\/59247\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T03:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T07:38:19","slug":"us-and-israel-launch-massive-joint-military-strikes-against-iran-markets-braced-for-escalation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-massive-joint-military-strikes-against-iran-markets-braced-for-escalation\/59247\/","title":{"rendered":"US and Israel Launch Massive Joint Military Strikes Against Iran; Markets Braced for Escalation"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The United States and Israel have launched a massive, joint &quot;preemptive&quot; military operation<\/strong> involving dozens of air and sea strikes against high-value targets across Iran.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iranian leadership was directly targeted<\/strong>, including the Presidential building and the headquarters of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has reportedly been moved to a secure location.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bitcoin (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTC\">BTC<\/a>) prices plummeted sharply<\/strong> as the strikes began, while <strong>OPEC+<\/strong> delegates signaled they may increase oil supply to counter potential market volatility.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Critical infrastructure and communications are failing<\/strong> in Iran following large-scale cyber attacks on state news agencies and the cutting of mobile services in Tehran.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Israel has declared a national state of emergency<\/strong> and both nations have completely closed their airspace as a &quot;crushing response&quot; is prepared by Tehran.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>United States<\/strong> and <strong>Israel<\/strong> have initiated a large-scale joint military campaign against <strong>Iran<\/strong>, with President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> confirming that a &quot;major operation&quot; is currently underway. According to reports from the <em>New York Times<\/em> and <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>, dozens of strikes are being carried out by <strong>U.S.<\/strong> jets from regional bases and aircraft carriers, supported by <strong>Israeli<\/strong> naval and air assets.<\/p>\n<p>The strikes have targeted the heart of the Iranian regime, with explosions reported at the <strong>Presidential building<\/strong>, the <strong>Ministry of Intelligence<\/strong>, and the headquarters of <strong>Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei<\/strong> in downtown <strong>Tehran<\/strong>. An <strong>Israeli<\/strong> security official stated that the &quot;entire Iranian regime was a target,&quot; and confirmed that several assassination operations have been carried out during the daytime raids.<\/p>\n<p>Financial markets reacted instantaneously to the geopolitical shock, with <strong>Bitcoin (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTC\">BTC<\/a>)<\/strong> falling sharply below key support levels as investors fled to safe-haven assets. In the energy sector, an <strong>OPEC+<\/strong> delegate suggested the group will consider a larger oil supply increase during their Sunday meeting to stabilize prices following the strikes on the major oil-producing nation.<\/p>\n<p>The operation has extended beyond physical strikes to include a massive cyber offensive that has successfully hacked the <strong>IRNA<\/strong> and <strong>ISNA<\/strong> news agencies. <strong>Iranian<\/strong> media reports that mobile phone services have been severed in parts of <strong>Tehran<\/strong>, while explosions continue to be heard in <strong>Qom<\/strong>, <strong>Isfahan<\/strong>, and <strong>Kermanshah<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Israel<\/strong> has declared a state of emergency across the entire country and warned citizens to prepare for an imminent <strong>Iranian<\/strong> missile response. <strong>U.S.<\/strong> officials indicated that the decision to strike was made after assessing there was &quot;no path for negotiations&quot; left with the <strong>Iranian<\/strong> government, signaling a shift toward a four-day period of intense joint military action.<\/p>\n<p>Defense contractors such as <strong>Lockheed Martin (<a href=\"\/stock\/LMT\">LMT<\/a>)<\/strong> and <strong>Northrop Grumman (<a href=\"\/stock\/NOC\">NOC<\/a>)<\/strong> are expected to see increased volatility as the conflict enters what <strong>Israeli<\/strong> officials describe as a &quot;second wave&quot; of strikes. Meanwhile, the <strong>U.S. Embassy in Qatar<\/strong> has ordered all employees to shelter in place, reflecting fears of a wider regional conflagration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways The United States and Israel have launched a massive, joint &quot;preemptive&quot; military operation involving dozens of air and 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