{"id":59256,"date":"2026-02-28T12:38:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T16:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-massive-strikes-on-iran-tehran-claims-closure-of-strait-of-hormuz\/59256\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T12:38:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T16:38:16","slug":"us-and-israel-launch-massive-strikes-on-iran-tehran-claims-closure-of-strait-of-hormuz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-massive-strikes-on-iran-tehran-claims-closure-of-strait-of-hormuz\/59256\/","title":{"rendered":"US and Israel Launch Massive Strikes on Iran; Tehran Claims Closure of Strait of Hormuz"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Israel and the United States launched strikes on hundreds of targets across Iran<\/strong>, marking a massive escalation in regional hostilities and prompting a &quot;closed&quot; status for the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>OPEC+ is reportedly considering a significant oil output hike of 411,000 bpd<\/strong> to stabilize global energy markets following the disruption of maritime trade routes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maritime insurers are set to sharply increase coverage prices<\/strong> for vessels in the Middle East after the US urged all commercial ships to avoid the Arabian Gulf.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The IAEA confirmed no radiological impact<\/strong> has been detected at Iranian nuclear sites thus far, despite the scale of the aerial bombardment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regional spillover has intensified<\/strong>, with the UAE intercepting multiple drones and missiles, while unverified reports suggest damage to US radar installations in Qatar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Massive Military Escalation in Iran<\/h2>\n<p>In a coordinated military operation, <strong>Israel and the United States struck hundreds of targets across Iran<\/strong> on Saturday. The <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> reported that the strikes targeted military infrastructure, with <strong>Axios<\/strong> noting that several top Iranian figures were &quot;eliminated&quot; and at least three regime gathering sites were hit.<\/p>\n<p>The White House confirmed that <strong>President Trump<\/strong> and his national security team are monitoring the situation &quot;closely throughout the day.&quot; Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that <strong>Senator Marco Rubio<\/strong> provided congressional notification prior to the commencement of the attacks. <strong>British Prime Minister<\/strong> Keir Starmer also acknowledged that <strong>British fighter jets<\/strong> participated in the West Asian operations.<\/p>\n<h2>Iran Retaliates and Closes Strait of Hormuz<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong> announced the immediate <strong>closure of the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> to nearby vessels, a move that threatens to paralyze global energy transit. While the <strong>UKMTO<\/strong> stated that such claims are not legally binding under international law unless lawfully enforced, the announcement has caused immediate chaos in maritime shipping.<\/p>\n<p>Iranian state media, citing the <strong>Khatam ol-Anbia Headquarters<\/strong>, claimed that 14 bases were targeted and alleged that <strong>hundreds of U.S. soldiers were killed<\/strong>, though these figures remain unverified by Western intelligence. Iran has threatened that future attacks will be <strong>&quot;more striking and extensive,&quot;<\/strong> as <strong>Ayatollah Khamenei<\/strong> prepares to deliver a global address to Shia Muslims.<\/p>\n<h2>Energy Markets and Economic Impact<\/h2>\n<p>Global energy markets are bracing for extreme volatility following the reported closure of the world&#39;s most vital oil chokepoint. In response, two sources close to <strong>OPEC+<\/strong> indicated the group is considering a <strong>larger oil output hike of as much as 411,000 bpd<\/strong> to offset potential supply shocks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ADNOC<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/ADNOCDIST\">ADNOCDIST<\/a>) stated it is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with authorities, though it maintained that its operations are currently <strong>continuing without interruption<\/strong>. However, the <em>Financial Times<\/em> reported that <strong>insurers are preparing to raise coverage prices<\/strong> for all vessels operating in the region, citing the heightened risk of kinetic attacks.<\/p>\n<h2>Regional Stability and International Response<\/h2>\n<p>The conflict has rapidly spilled over into neighboring states, with the <strong>UAE Defense Ministry<\/strong> confirming it intercepted a new wave of Iranian missiles and drones. In <strong>Dubai<\/strong>, an &quot;incident&quot; was reported at a building in <strong>Palm Jumeirah<\/strong>, resulting in four injuries, while an Iranian drone was spotted near the <strong>Burj Khalifa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>China<\/strong> has issued a stern demand for the US and Israel to <strong>immediately stop military operations<\/strong>, warning of a total regional collapse. At the request of France, the <strong>United Nations Security Council<\/strong> is scheduled to meet tonight at 10 P.M. Paris time to address the crisis. Meanwhile, the <strong>IAEA<\/strong> remains in permanent contact with regional leaders, urging restraint to avoid <strong>nuclear safety risks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Israel and the United States launched strikes on hundreds of targets across Iran, marking a massive escalation in 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