{"id":59307,"date":"2026-03-02T09:38:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-operation-epic-fury-against-iran-nvidia-inks-2b-deal-with-lumentum\/59307\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T09:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:38:19","slug":"us-and-israel-launch-operation-epic-fury-against-iran-nvidia-inks-2b-deal-with-lumentum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-and-israel-launch-operation-epic-fury-against-iran-nvidia-inks-2b-deal-with-lumentum\/59307\/","title":{"rendered":"US and Israel Launch &#8220;Operation Epic Fury&#8221; Against Iran; Nvidia Inks $2B Deal with Lumentum"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The U.S. and Israel have initiated &quot;Operation Epic Fury,&quot; a massive air campaign against Iran involving over 100 aircraft and B-1 strategic bombers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) announced a $2 billion investment in Lumentum (<a href=\"\/stock\/LITE\">LITE<\/a>) as part of a multiyear strategic partnership for optics technology.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Qatar Energy has declared Force Majeure on LNG deliveries, signaling immediate disruptions to global energy supplies following the strikes.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Bank of England (BoE) officials warn that the Middle East &quot;shocks&quot; make the economic outlook fluid, leading to a hawkish shift in UK rate futures.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>AbbVie (<a href=\"\/stock\/ABBV\">ABBV<\/a>) reported positive topline results for its blockbuster drug Skyrizi, strengthening its immunology portfolio.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>U.S. and Israel Launch Massive Strikes on Iran<\/h2>\n<p>The United States and Israel have launched a coordinated military offensive against Iran, officially titled <strong>Operation Epic Fury<\/strong>. Defense Secretary <strong>Pete Hegseth<\/strong> and General <strong>Dan Caine<\/strong> confirmed in a Pentagon briefing that the operation involved a &quot;massive overwhelming attack&quot; with more than <strong>100 aircraft<\/strong> launched in a single wave. U.S. Air Force <strong>B-1 strategic bombers<\/strong> targeted above-ground ballistic missile sites and command and control centers across the country, including heavy fire reported in <strong>Isfahan<\/strong> and the capital, <strong>Tehran<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>General Caine stated that the U.S. has established <strong>local air superiority<\/strong> in Iran, though he cautioned that the mission is &quot;not a single overnight operation&quot; and that the U.S. expects to take <strong>additional losses<\/strong>. Secretary Hegseth emphasized that the goal is to prevent Iran from projecting power or acquiring <strong>nuclear weapons<\/strong>, stating the U.S. will finish the operation on <strong>&quot;America First&quot;<\/strong> conditions. <em>Market participants are closely monitoring the potential for a prolonged conflict, as military officials described the current phase as &quot;major combat operations.&quot;<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Energy Markets React as Qatar Declares Force Majeure<\/h2>\n<p>The geopolitical escalation has triggered immediate volatility in the energy sector. <strong>Qatar Energy<\/strong> officially declared <strong>Force Majeure<\/strong> on <strong>LNG deliveries<\/strong>, a move that threatens to tighten global natural gas supplies significantly. While the <strong>Saudi Interior Ministry<\/strong> claimed the security situation in the Kingdom remains &quot;reassuring,&quot; the broader region faces severe logistical and security risks.<\/p>\n<p>Central banks are already assessing the potential inflationary impact of these developments. <strong>Bank of England<\/strong> official <strong>Taylor<\/strong> remarked that it is &quot;too soon to tell&quot; the full impact of the Middle East shocks but noted the outlook is <strong>&quot;fluid.&quot;<\/strong> Consequently, <strong>UK Rate Futures<\/strong> now price in only <strong>40 basis points<\/strong> of cuts by the end of 2026, a sharp decline from the <strong>50 basis points<\/strong> expected before the onset of hostilities.<\/p>\n<h2>Nvidia Invests $2 Billion in Lumentum Partnership<\/h2>\n<p>In corporate news, Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) has entered into a major strategic partnership with Lumentum (<a href=\"\/stock\/LITE\">LITE<\/a>) to develop <strong>state-of-the-art optics technology<\/strong>. As part of the agreement, Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) is investing <strong>$2 billion<\/strong> in Lumentum (<a href=\"\/stock\/LITE\">LITE<\/a>) to support research and development, as well as future manufacturing capacity. <em>This move is seen as a strategic effort by Nvidia to secure the critical optical components necessary for its next-generation AI data centers.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Healthcare and Central Bank Stability<\/h2>\n<p>Pharmaceutical giant AbbVie (<a href=\"\/stock\/ABBV\">ABBV<\/a>) announced positive topline results from its latest study of <strong>Skyrizi<\/strong>, further bolstering the drug&#39;s clinical profile. The successful trial results are expected to support <strong>AbbVie&#39;s<\/strong> long-term revenue targets as it navigates patent cliffs for older products.<\/p>\n<p>In Europe, <strong>ECB<\/strong> official <strong>Kocher<\/strong> attempted to project stability, stating there is <strong>&quot;no indication&quot;<\/strong> that President <strong>Christine Lagarde<\/strong> would step down early. Kocher also noted that <strong>inflation<\/strong> is currently &quot;exactly where you want it to be,&quot; though this sentiment may be tested by the surging energy costs resulting from the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways The U.S. and Israel have initiated &quot;Operation Epic Fury,&quot; a massive air campaign against Iran involving over 100 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