{"id":59276,"date":"2026-03-01T05:38:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T09:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T05:38:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T09:38:38","slug":"middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East Crisis: Iran Launches Mass Retaliatory Strikes as Israel Hits Tehran; Global Oil Supply at Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/#Regional_War_Erupts_Following_Khameneis_Death\" >Regional War Erupts Following Khamenei\u2019s Death<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/#Gulf_States_Under_Fire_UAE_Qatar_and_Bahrain\" >Gulf States Under Fire: UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/#Israel_Strikes_the_%22Heart%22_of_Tehran\" >Israel Strikes the &quot;Heart&quot; of Tehran<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/#Maritime_and_Energy_Crisis_Strait_of_Hormuz_Blockaded\" >Maritime and Energy Crisis: Strait of Hormuz Blockaded<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/middle-east-crisis-iran-launches-mass-retaliatory-strikes-as-israel-hits-tehran-global-oil-supply-at-risk\/59276\/#Geopolitical_Fallout_and_Market_Outlook\" >Geopolitical Fallout and Market Outlook<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Iran launched a massive multi-front attack<\/strong> involving hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones targeting the <strong>UAE<\/strong>, <strong>Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, <strong>Bahrain<\/strong>, and <strong>Qatar<\/strong>, resulting in at least one death in Abu Dhabi and multiple injuries across the region.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Israel has expanded its offensive<\/strong> into the &quot;heart&quot; of Tehran, striking the <strong>Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong> headquarters and the <strong>Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)<\/strong> building, while also hitting the airport in <strong>Mashhad<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Strait of Hormuz is &quot;practically closed&quot;<\/strong> to commercial traffic after Iran targeted multiple oil tankers and issued naval warnings, threatening approximately <strong>20% of the world\u2019s daily oil and LNG supply<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy markets are braced for extreme volatility<\/strong> as the United States Oil Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/USO\">USO<\/a>) and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/XLE\">XLE<\/a>) respond to the most significant disruption in the Persian Gulf since the 1980s.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical tensions have reached a breaking point<\/strong> following the confirmed death of Iranian Supreme Leader <strong>Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/strong>, with the Iranian President declaring revenge a &quot;religious duty.&quot;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regional_War_Erupts_Following_Khameneis_Death\"><\/span>Regional War Erupts Following Khamenei\u2019s Death<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Middle East has descended into a state of total conflict following the confirmed killing of Iranian Supreme Leader <strong>Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/strong> in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation. In immediate retaliation, the <strong>Islamic Republic of Iran<\/strong> launched what it termed &quot;the most devastating offensive operation&quot; in its history, targeting U.S. military bases and civilian infrastructure across the <strong>Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)<\/strong> states.<\/p>\n<p>Iranian President <strong>Masoud Pezeshkian<\/strong> addressed the nation on Sunday, declaring that avenging the &quot;historic crime&quot; is a religious duty and a legitimate right of the state. As the strikes commenced, reports emerged that Iran&#39;s <strong>police intelligence chief<\/strong> had been killed, further destabilizing the internal security apparatus of the regime.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gulf_States_Under_Fire_UAE_Qatar_and_Bahrain\"><\/span>Gulf States Under Fire: UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>United Arab Emirates<\/strong> bore the brunt of the initial waves, with the Ministry of Defense reporting the interception of <strong>137 missiles and 209 drones<\/strong>. Despite high interception rates by <strong>Patriot<\/strong> and <strong>THAAD<\/strong> systems produced by Lockheed Martin (<a href=\"\/stock\/LMT\">LMT<\/a>) and RTX Corporation (<a href=\"\/stock\/RTX\">RTX<\/a>), debris caused significant damage. In <strong>Abu Dhabi<\/strong>, explosions near the <strong>Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque<\/strong> left 13 injured and one dead, while an Iranian drone reportedly hit a building in <strong>Dubai<\/strong>, with additional wreckage striking a local shopping center.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Qatar<\/strong> and <strong>Bahrain<\/strong> also reported large-scale interceptions. Qatari defense forces successfully repelled 65 missiles and 12 drones, though two projectiles reached the <strong>Al Udeid Air Base<\/strong>, the largest U.S. military installation in the region. <strong>Bahrain<\/strong>&#39;s National Communication Center confirmed the interception of a &quot;new wave&quot; of ballistic missiles, while residents in eastern <strong>Riyadh<\/strong>, Saudi Arabia, reported hearing massive explosions as defense systems engaged incoming threats.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Israel_Strikes_the_%22Heart%22_of_Tehran\"><\/span>Israel Strikes the &quot;Heart&quot; of Tehran<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As Iran targeted the Gulf, the <strong>Israel Defense Forces (IDF)<\/strong> launched a broad wave of strikes in central <strong>Tehran<\/strong>. Targets included the <strong>IRGC headquarters<\/strong> and the <strong>Revolutionary Guard&#39;s square<\/strong>, as well as the <strong>IRIB<\/strong> television building. For the first time since the conflict began, Israel also targeted <strong>Mashhad<\/strong>, Iran&#39;s second-largest city, striking its international airport to disrupt military logistics.<\/p>\n<p>Israeli Prime Minister <strong>Benjamin Netanyahu<\/strong> issued a rare address to the Iranian people in Persian, stating, &quot;Our help has reached you,&quot; in an apparent call for the population to rise up against the remaining clerical leadership. The strikes have reportedly established &quot;aerial superiority&quot; over the capital, according to Israeli military spokespersons.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maritime_and_Energy_Crisis_Strait_of_Hormuz_Blockaded\"><\/span>Maritime and Energy Crisis: Strait of Hormuz Blockaded<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The global energy supply chain is facing an unprecedented threat as the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> has become a primary theater of conflict. Iran has reportedly targeted an oil tanker entering the strait, while <strong>Oman<\/strong> confirmed a separate attack on a small tanker off its coast. Shipping data shows a &quot;small flotilla&quot; of tankers now idling outside the <strong>Gulf of Oman<\/strong>, as major carriers avoid the waterway.<\/p>\n<p>This blockade has immediate implications for global oil majors like ExxonMobil (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>) and Chevron (<a href=\"\/stock\/CVX\">CVX<\/a>), as the risk of a prolonged shutdown could send crude prices to record highs. In a separate but notable maritime development, <strong>Belgian forces<\/strong> intercepted an oil tanker from the Russian &quot;ghost fleet,&quot; highlighting a broader international crackdown on illicit shipping amidst the regional chaos.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitical_Fallout_and_Market_Outlook\"><\/span>Geopolitical Fallout and Market Outlook<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The diplomatic landscape has shifted toward total isolation for Tehran. UAE presidential adviser <strong>Anwar Gargash<\/strong> issued a stern warning to Iran, urging the regime to &quot;return to your senses&quot; before the circle of escalation widens further. Meanwhile, international airlines have suspended all flights to the region, and regional airspaces remain closed.<\/p>\n<p>Investors are closely monitoring defense contractors and energy ETFs as the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation. With the Iranian leadership in flux and the <strong>IRGC<\/strong> vowing further &quot;devastating&quot; strikes, the global economy is bracing for the fallout of a sustained war in the world&#39;s most critical energy corridor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Iran launched a massive multi-front attack involving hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones targeting the UAE, Saudi Arabia, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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