{"id":64455,"date":"2026-07-08T16:38:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T20:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-launches-wave-of-military-strikes-against-iran-following-ceasefire-collapse-markets-brace-for-volatility\/64455\/"},"modified":"2026-07-08T16:38:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T20:38:11","slug":"u-s-launches-wave-of-military-strikes-against-iran-following-ceasefire-collapse-markets-brace-for-volatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-launches-wave-of-military-strikes-against-iran-following-ceasefire-collapse-markets-brace-for-volatility\/64455\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Launches Wave of Military Strikes Against Iran Following Ceasefire Collapse; Markets Brace for Volatility"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)<\/strong> has initiated a new wave of military strikes against Iranian military targets to degrade Tehran&#39;s ability to threaten the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iran\u2019s Armed Forces<\/strong> have reportedly signaled a &quot;massive attack&quot; on U.S. military bases in the region in immediate retaliation, according to state-linked media.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global energy markets<\/strong> face heightened risk as the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, a vital waterway for oil transit, becomes a focal point of the escalating conflict.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Major U.S. indices<\/strong> closed mixed with the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/indices\/dowjones\/today\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Dow Jones Today\">Dow Jones<\/a> Industrial Average<\/strong> falling over <strong>586 points (1.11%)<\/strong> as geopolitical tensions overshadowed corporate gains.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iraq<\/strong> has agreed to tighten financial controls to prevent U.S. dollars from reaching Iran-backed militias in exchange for the resumption of billions in cash deliveries from Washington.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>United States<\/strong> has launched a series of targeted military strikes against <strong>Iran<\/strong>, marking a significant escalation in the Middle East following the apparent collapse of a week-long ceasefire. At the direction of the Commander in Chief, <strong>U.S. CENTCOM<\/strong> forces targeted Iranian military infrastructure near the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> to protect international shipping lanes and civilian crews from &quot;unjustified aggression.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Explosions have been reported across several Iranian coastal regions, including <strong>Bandar Abbas<\/strong>, <strong>Chabahar<\/strong>, and <strong>Konarak<\/strong>. Local reports from <strong>IRNA<\/strong> indicate that the strikes have caused significant power outages in <strong>Chabahar<\/strong>, while Iranian air defenses were reportedly activated in <strong>Bandar Abbas<\/strong> to intercept incoming projectiles.<\/p>\n<p>In a swift response, <strong>Iran\u2019s Nournews<\/strong>, citing military sources, announced that the <strong>Iranian Armed Forces<\/strong> are prepared to launch a &quot;massive attack&quot; on U.S. military bases throughout the region. This development has raised immediate concerns regarding a broader regional war, as <strong>Tehran<\/strong> previously threatened to block the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>\u2014a chokepoint responsible for roughly <strong>20% of the world&#39;s oil supply<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Vice President <strong>JD Vance<\/strong> stated that military action will persist until Iran ceases its attacks on commercial vessels and ensures the shipping lanes remain open. Vance noted that while the U.S. had previously agreed to lift certain blockades in exchange for a halt in hostilities, <strong>Iran<\/strong> resumed attacks on shipping within the last 24 hours, prompting the &quot;harder than ever&quot; military response.<\/p>\n<p>Financial markets reacted sharply to the news of the strikes. The <strong>Dow Jones Industrial Average<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EDJI\">^DJI<\/a>) tumbled <strong>586.62 points (1.11%)<\/strong> to close at <strong>52,338.53<\/strong>, while the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/indices\/sp500\/today\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"snp500 today\">S&amp;P 500<\/a><\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/%5EGSPC\">^GSPC<\/a>) fell <strong>0.22%<\/strong>. <em>Analysts warn that continued escalation is likely to support higher energy prices and increase volatility across global equities and commodities.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Amidst the military conflict, the <strong>Wall Street Journal<\/strong> reported that the U.S. has reached a deal with <strong>Iraq<\/strong> to resume billions in cash deliveries. In exchange, <strong>Iraq<\/strong> must implement strict crackdowns on currency exchanges and salary payments to ensure funds are not diverted to <strong>Iran-backed militias<\/strong> seeking to circumvent U.S. sanctions.<\/p>\n<p>In corporate news, <strong>Costco<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/COST\">COST<\/a>) reported a strong <strong>10.6% surge<\/strong> in June net sales to <strong>$29.24 billion<\/strong>, while <strong>Honeywell Technologies<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/HON\">HON<\/a>) updated its 2026 guidance, forecasting full-year adjusted EPS between <strong>$7.90 and $8.30<\/strong>. Despite these positive earnings signals, the geopolitical landscape remains the primary driver of market sentiment heading into the next trading session.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has initiated a new wave of military strikes against Iranian military targets to degrade 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