{"id":59754,"date":"2026-03-13T14:38:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-targets-iranian-leadership-with-10m-bounty-as-middle-east-tensions-threaten-global-markets\/59754\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T14:38:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:38:26","slug":"us-targets-iranian-leadership-with-10m-bounty-as-middle-east-tensions-threaten-global-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-targets-iranian-leadership-with-10m-bounty-as-middle-east-tensions-threaten-global-markets\/59754\/","title":{"rendered":"US Targets Iranian Leadership with $10M Bounty as Middle East Tensions Threaten Global Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>US State Department offers $10 million bounty<\/strong> for information on Iranian Supreme Leader <strong>Mojtaba Khamenei<\/strong> and senior IRGC officials following reports of leadership injuries.<\/li>\n<li><strong>S&amp;P Global warns of &quot;long-lasting effects&quot;<\/strong> on the US economy and credit conditions if the Middle East conflict continues to escalate, though US oil producers are expected to benefit from <strong>$100+ oil prices<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pentagon deploys USS Tripoli (LHA-7)<\/strong> and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to the region to secure shipping lanes in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> amid intensifying maritime threats.<\/li>\n<li><strong>US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins<\/strong> prepares an emergency announcement on <strong>fertilizer prices<\/strong> to protect American farmers from surging input costs during the spring planting season.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Novartis (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVS\">NVS<\/a>) secures FDA approval<\/strong> for Cosentyx as the first biologic treatment for pediatric patients with moderate to severe <strong>hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically on Friday as the <strong>U.S. Department of State<\/strong> announced a <strong>$10 million reward<\/strong> through its Rewards for Justice program for information leading to the identification or location of Iran\u2019s new Supreme Leader, <strong>Mojtaba Khamenei<\/strong>. This move follows claims by US Defense Secretary <strong>Pete Hegseth<\/strong> that Khamenei was &quot;wounded and likely disfigured&quot; during recent military operations. The bounty also targets senior officials within the <strong>Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong>, including Ali Asghar Hejazi and Ali Larijani, as the US seeks to capitalize on perceived instability within the Iranian regime.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the escalating crisis, the <strong>Pentagon<\/strong> has authorized the deployment of the <strong>USS Tripoli<\/strong>, an amphibious assault ship, along with approximately <strong>2,500 Marines<\/strong> to the Middle East. The deployment is specifically aimed at deterring Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, a critical maritime corridor that has seen traffic slow significantly. Meanwhile, the <strong>US Embassy in Israel<\/strong> confirmed that <strong>El Al<\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/quote\/ELAL.TA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ELAL.TA<\/a>) is coordinating with American officials to facilitate the evacuation of US citizens as regional hostilities intensify.<\/p>\n<p>The economic ramifications of the conflict are beginning to weigh on global markets. <strong>S&amp;P Global Ratings<\/strong> cautioned that a wider war could have <strong>long-lasting effects on the US economy<\/strong>, potentially reigniting inflation and straining credit conditions across multiple sectors. While the agency expects US oil and gas producers like <strong>ExxonMobil (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>)<\/strong> and <strong>Chevron (<a href=\"\/stock\/CVX\">CVX<\/a>)<\/strong> to benefit from elevated crude prices, it warned that energy-import-dependent nations and the broader transportation sector face significant risks.<\/p>\n<p>Amid these tensions, <strong>US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins<\/strong> signaled that an announcement regarding <strong>fertilizer prices<\/strong> is imminent. With urea prices jumping <strong>5% month-over-month<\/strong> to $625 per ton, the USDA is exploring &quot;every avenue&quot; to keep costs down for domestic producers. The news provided a boost to fertilizer stocks, with <strong>CF Industries Holdings (<a href=\"\/stock\/CF\">CF<\/a>)<\/strong> and <strong>The Mosaic Company (<a href=\"\/stock\/MOS\">MOS<\/a>)<\/strong> seeing significant gains as investors anticipate government intervention to stabilize the supply chain.<\/p>\n<p>In the healthcare sector, <strong>Novartis (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVS\">NVS<\/a>)<\/strong> reached a regulatory milestone with the <strong>FDA approval<\/strong> of <strong>Cosentyx<\/strong> for pediatric patients aged 12 and older suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa. This marks the fourth pediatric indication for the drug, establishing it as the only IL-17A inhibitor approved for this population. Despite the broader market volatility, the approval reinforces the company&#39;s strong position in the immunology space, offering a new treatment option for a condition that often begins during adolescence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways US State Department offers $10 million bounty for information on Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and senior IRGC 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