Middle East flashpoint reignited, market plummets: Israel and Iran exchange missile fire, the United States joins interception defense.

The military conflict between Israel and Iran intensified early Saturday morning, with both sides engaging in a new round of missile and airstrike exchanges. Air raid sirens sounded across multiple locations in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, prompting residents to quickly enter shelters. The U.S. military also intervened to assist in intercepting incoming missiles. The situation in the Middle East has sharply deteriorated, drawing significant attention from the international community.

Israel issues stern warning: Tehran will pay the price if attacks continue.

Israel's Minister of Defense Israel Katz issued a strong warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei on Saturday, stating that if Iran continues to launch missiles at Israeli civilians, Tehran will "pay a heavy price." Katz further stated directly: "If Khamenei continues to attack Israeli territory, Tehran will be burned."

Iran escalates retaliation: threatens to expand attacks to U.S. military bases

According to Fars News Agency in Iran, senior military officials in Iran stated that retaliatory attacks against Israel will continue, and they do not rule out the possibility of expanding the scope of attacks in the coming days to include U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Iranian media claimed that "decisive retaliatory actions have begun," emphasizing that this is a response to Israel's previous "brutal attack" on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Airstrikes continue: Both sides activate missile defense systems.

On Saturday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that Iran launched missiles again. The Iron Dome system of Israel was seen intercepting incoming rockets over Tel Aviv. The IDF continues to urge the public to enter air raid shelters until further notice. Meanwhile, the capital of Iran, Tehran, also activated its air defense system, with reports from citizens and media indicating that they heard the sounds of drones, missiles, and fighter jets flying overhead.

U.S. military intervention interception: dispatched destroyers and missile defense systems

Three U.S. officials confirmed to NBC that the U.S. military is assisting Israel in intercepting missiles launched by Iran. The U.S. had previously deployed military forces in the region, including Navy destroyers stationed off the coast of Israel and THAAD and Patriot missile defense systems on the ground. Although U.S. officials emphasize that they are not directly involved in Israel's "unilateral actions" against Iran, President Trump expressed satisfaction with Israel's military performance and stressed that "they are using the most advanced American weapons in the world."

Israel launches "Lion's Action": attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and missile bases.

Israel has stated that it has launched attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities located in Isfahan, Natanz, and other areas, with the military operation codenamed "Operation Rising Lion." An IDF spokesperson stated that in addition to targeting nuclear facilities, this airstrike also aims to weaken Iran's long-range missile capabilities. Meanwhile, Iranian media reported two explosions near the Fordo nuclear facility, which is built deep underground and is considered one of Iran's most critical nuclear programs.

Iran halts nuclear talks with the United States, diplomatic efforts thwarted.

Iran's state television announced that the sixth round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, originally scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, the capital of Oman, has been "indefinitely suspended." U.S. officials stated that they still hope the negotiations can continue, but the current outlook is bleak. Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei claimed, "Israel will not escape this crime without paying a price," and emphasized that Iran's response "will definitely not be half-hearted."

Market Turmoil: Wall Street Stocks and Cryptocurrency Markets Decline Due to War Risks

Due to the escalation of the conflict in Israel, the three major U.S. stock indexes fell sharply on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 700 points, a decline of nearly 2%; the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also each fell more than 1%. Investors are worried that the conflict in the Middle East will escalate into a regional war, causing further impacts on the global economy.

In addition to the fluctuations in traditional financial markets, the cryptocurrency market has also shown significant volatility. Bitcoin has maintained a price level of $104,000, but it still dropped 0.61% within 24 hours; Ethereum also weakened, falling by 1.35%. The worst performer was Sui (SUI), which plummeted over 5% in a single day, with a cumulative drop of nearly 27% over 30 days. Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) also experienced monthly declines of 17% and 21% respectively, indicating that risk assets are under pressure across the board due to geopolitical tensions.

However, there are also highlights, as the relatively new Hyperliquid (HYPE) has surged over 55% in the past 30 days, becoming one of the safe havens for funds. Overall, the cryptocurrency market, like the traditional stock market, is closely reflecting the dramatic fluctuations of war risks and investor sentiment.

This article discusses the resurgence of conflict in the Middle East and a significant market downturn: Israel and Iran are firing missiles at each other, and the United States has joined in interception defense. It first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.