{"id":63815,"date":"2026-06-26T20:08:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T00:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-launches-retaliatory-strikes-on-iran-as-venezuela-quake-death-toll-hits-920\/63815\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T20:08:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T00:08:14","slug":"u-s-launches-retaliatory-strikes-on-iran-as-venezuela-quake-death-toll-hits-920","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-launches-retaliatory-strikes-on-iran-as-venezuela-quake-death-toll-hits-920\/63815\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Iran as Venezuela Quake Death Toll Hits 920"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)<\/strong> conducted airstrikes on <strong>Iranian missile and drone storage facilities<\/strong> and coastal radar sites on June 26, 2026.<\/li>\n<li>The military action follows an Iranian drone attack on the <strong>M\/V Ever Lovely<\/strong>, a Singapore-flagged commercial vessel, in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vice President JD Vance<\/strong> and <strong>President Donald Trump<\/strong> characterized the Iranian strike as a &quot;foolish violation&quot; of the recently signed <strong>U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>In Venezuela, the death toll from two massive earthquakes (magnitudes <strong>7.2 and 7.5<\/strong>) has risen to <strong>920<\/strong>, with over <strong>50,000 people<\/strong> still reported missing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">crude oil<\/a><\/strong> prices fluctuated, briefly dropping below <strong>$70<\/strong> as markets weighed the impact of the strikes on the fragile 60-day ceasefire agreement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>U.S. Retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>U.S. military<\/strong> launched targeted airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure on Friday, marking the first direct combat engagement since a tentative ceasefire was established earlier this month. According to <strong>U.S. Central Command<\/strong>, aircraft struck storage locations for drones and missiles, as well as radar sites used to monitor maritime traffic. The strikes were described as a &quot;powerful response&quot; to an Iranian one-way drone attack on a commercial cargo ship transiting the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> on June 25.<\/p>\n<p><strong>President Donald Trump<\/strong> confirmed that the U.S. successfully intercepted three of four drones launched by Iran during the initial provocation. While the <strong>M\/V Ever Lovely<\/strong> sustained damage to its upper deck, no casualties were reported, and the vessel was able to continue its voyage. The <strong>International Maritime Organization<\/strong> has since paused operations to evacuate hundreds of stranded ships in the Persian Gulf due to the renewed hostilities.<\/p>\n<h2>Diplomatic Fallout and the &quot;Islamabad Memorandum&quot;<\/h2>\n<p>The exchange of fire has placed the <strong>Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)<\/strong> on shaky ground just days after its implementation began. <strong>Vice President JD Vance<\/strong> emphasized that while Washington remains committed to the 60-day negotiation window, &quot;violence will be met with violence.&quot; The MOU was intended to facilitate talks on Iran\u2019s nuclear program and the permanent reopening of the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, a waterway responsible for <strong>20% of global oil supply<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Iranian officials, including representatives from the <strong>Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)<\/strong>, accused the U.S. of breaching its own commitments. Tehran maintains that it has the right to manage transit routes within its coastal waters and warned that any further &quot;aggression&quot; would meet a broader response. Despite the military flare-up, technical negotiations between diplomats are reportedly continuing in <strong>Switzerland<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Venezuela<\/h2>\n<p>As geopolitical tensions rise in the Middle East, <strong>Venezuela<\/strong> is grappling with the aftermath of its deadliest seismic event in over a century. The official death toll reached <strong>920<\/strong> on Friday, though the <strong>U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)<\/strong> warned that fatalities could eventually exceed <strong>10,000<\/strong>. The twin quakes, which struck 39 seconds apart on June 24, caused catastrophic damage in <strong>La Guaira<\/strong> and the capital, <strong>Caracas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Interim President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez<\/strong> has placed the state of La Guaira under military control to coordinate rescue efforts as foreign aid teams begin to arrive. In a notable diplomatic shift, the <strong>U.S. government<\/strong> has temporarily suspended certain economic sanctions to ensure that humanitarian relief and search-and-rescue equipment can reach the affected regions without delay. Over <strong>250 major structures<\/strong> have been confirmed destroyed, leaving thousands homeless amid ongoing aftershocks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted airstrikes on Iranian missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites on 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