{"id":59254,"date":"2026-02-28T10:38:38","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T14:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-operation-epic-fury-against-iran-tehran-retaliates-as-regional-tensions-soar\/59254\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T10:38:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T14:38:38","slug":"us-and-israel-launch-operation-epic-fury-against-iran-tehran-retaliates-as-regional-tensions-soar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-operation-epic-fury-against-iran-tehran-retaliates-as-regional-tensions-soar\/59254\/","title":{"rendered":"US and Israel Launch &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; Against Iran; Tehran Retaliates as Regional Tensions Soar"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>US and Israeli forces launched a massive, coordinated aerial assault<\/strong> on Iranian strategic and nuclear-related facilities, successfully suppressing national air defenses.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iran retaliated by striking 14 US military bases<\/strong> across the region, though significant interceptions were reported by <strong>Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, <strong>Kuwait<\/strong>, and the <strong>UAE<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi<\/strong> signaled a potential opening for de-escalation, stating Tehran is open to a <strong>nuclear deal<\/strong> if military operations cease immediately.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy markets face heightened volatility<\/strong> as some oil majors suspended shipments through the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, despite the <strong>UAE<\/strong> reporting stable global supplies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global powers, including China and Russia<\/strong>, have condemned the strikes as an &quot;unprovoked act of aggression,&quot; calling for an immediate halt to hostilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>&quot;Operation Epic Fury&quot; Suppresses Iranian Defenses<\/h2>\n<p>The United States and Israel initiated a large-scale military campaign, dubbed <strong>&quot;Operation Epic Fury&quot;<\/strong> by the Pentagon, targeting Iranian missile bases and strategic defense systems. According to reports from <strong>Fox News<\/strong>, the opening salvos involved the heavy use of <strong>Tomahawk cruise missiles<\/strong>, manufactured by RTX Corporation (<a href=\"\/stock\/RTX\">RTX<\/a>) and Lockheed Martin (<a href=\"\/stock\/LMT\">LMT<\/a>), alongside the first-ever combat deployment of <strong>&quot;one-way attack drones&quot;<\/strong> against Iranian territory.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Israel Defense Forces (IDF)<\/strong> confirmed the completion of a &quot;broad strike&quot; that significantly damaged Iran&#39;s strategic defense network. <em>Military analysts suggest the suppression of these defenses was intended to pave the way for ongoing operations aimed at neutralizing Iran&#39;s nuclear breakout capability.<\/em> US Senators <strong>Thom Tillis<\/strong> and <strong>John Thune<\/strong> commended the <strong>Trump administration<\/strong> for the decisive action, with Thune noting that the strikes were necessary to &quot;thwart Iranian threats.&quot;<\/p>\n<h2>Regional Retaliation and Interceptions<\/h2>\n<p>In response to the strikes, Iran\u2019s <strong>Tasnim News Agency<\/strong> reported that the <strong>Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong> targeted <strong>14 US military bases<\/strong> in the region. Retaliatory barrages were directed at sites in <strong>Qatar<\/strong>, <strong>Bahrain<\/strong>, and the <strong>UAE<\/strong>, including the headquarters of the <strong>US Navy&#39;s Fifth Fleet<\/strong>. While Iran claimed &quot;severe blows&quot; were dealt, regional air defense systems\u2014largely utilizing technology from Northrop Grumman (<a href=\"\/stock\/NOC\">NOC<\/a>)\u2014reported high interception rates.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saudi Arabia<\/strong> confirmed it intercepted missiles over <strong>Riyadh<\/strong> and its eastern provinces, while the <strong>UAE<\/strong> reported 14 interceptions. Despite these successes, a &quot;loud bang&quot; was heard in <strong>Dubai<\/strong>, and debris in <strong>Abu Dhabi<\/strong> reportedly resulted in one civilian fatality. The <strong>US State Department<\/strong> has issued an urgent advisory for citizens to leave <strong>Lebanon<\/strong> as commercial options remain available, citing the risk of a broader regional conflagration.<\/p>\n<h2>Tehran Signals Diplomatic Opening Amid Losses<\/h2>\n<p>Iranian Foreign Minister <strong>Abbas Araghchi<\/strong> confirmed that while &quot;one or two commanders&quot; may have been lost in the strikes, the <strong>Supreme Leader<\/strong> and other top officials remain safe. In an interview with <strong>NBC News<\/strong>, Araghchi struck a surprisingly conciliatory tone, stating that Iran is &quot;interested in de-escalation&quot; and sees a possibility to reach a <strong>nuclear deal<\/strong> that guarantees a peaceful program.<\/p>\n<p>Araghchi emphasized that Iran does not possess\u2014and does not intend to build\u2014missiles capable of reaching the <strong>US homeland<\/strong>. However, he maintained that Tehran would not relinquish its &quot;right to enrichment&quot; and described the US-led strikes as &quot;illegal and unprovoked.&quot; <em>Diplomatic sources in Oman suggest that while a deal is &quot;within reach,&quot; the current military escalation has severely strained the negotiation track.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Market Impact and International Condemnation<\/h2>\n<p>The escalation has sent ripples through global energy markets, represented by the United States Oil Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/USO\">USO<\/a>). While the <strong>UAE<\/strong> issued a statement via <strong>WAM<\/strong> insisting that the market remains stable with &quot;ample supplies,&quot; reports from <strong>Reuters<\/strong> indicate that several oil majors, including ExxonMobil (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>), have temporarily suspended shipments through the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>International reaction has been swift, with <strong>China<\/strong> and <strong>Russia<\/strong> leading the condemnation. The <strong>Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs<\/strong> called for an &quot;immediate halt&quot; to military operations, stressing that Iran\u2019s territorial integrity must be respected. <strong>Russia<\/strong> characterized the strikes as a &quot;premeditated act of armed aggression,&quot; while <strong>Turkey<\/strong> expressed &quot;serious concern&quot; that the escalating tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran are &quot;unacceptable&quot; for regional stability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways US and Israeli forces launched a massive, coordinated aerial assault on Iranian strategic and nuclear-related facilities, successfully suppressing 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