The United States and Israel jointly launched a large-scale military operation today, codenamed “Operation Shield of Judah,” targeting five cities in Iran, including Tehran. Trump confirmed that U.S. forces have begun a “large-scale and ongoing” attack. This has significantly impacted investors’ wallets.
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President Trump confirmed on Saturday (28th) that U.S. military forces have launched a “large-scale and ongoing military operation” against Iran, stating that the move aims to “prevent this extremely evil radical dictatorship from threatening the United States and core national security interests.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a preemptive strike against Iran, with the joint operation codenamed “Operation Shield of Judah.”
According to reports from Al Jazeera and other international media, the airstrikes targeted five cities: Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah.
One of the targets was near the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei, covering the Presidential Palace and the National Security Council area. Iran’s state news agency ISNA reported that initial airstrikes have caused casualties among Revolutionary Guard personnel. Israel immediately declared a nationwide state of emergency following the attack.
About two hours after the attack, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced it had launched the first wave of large-scale retaliatory missiles and drones against Israel. Multiple explosions were reported in northern Israel, and the air defense systems were fully activated. The conflict also affected Gulf countries; Bahrain reported missile attacks on the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters located there, and Qatar sounded air raid sirens.
According to CNBC, citing sources, the operation is expected to last several days, with the Israeli military mainly focusing on targeting Iran’s missile program facilities. Trump also addressed the Iranian people, urging them to overthrow the current regime and warning of potential casualties.
As geopolitical risks rapidly intensify, traditional safe-haven assets surged. International gold prices broke through $5,500 per ounce, up over 20% since the beginning of the year. Crude oil prices also rose, with Brent crude surpassing $71 per barrel amid concerns that the Hormuz Strait (a critical global oil transit route accounting for about 20%) could be blocked, further impacting global energy supplies.
Contrasting sharply with the gold rush to safety, the crypto market experienced a fierce sell-off. Bitcoin briefly dropped to around $63,000, nearly a 5% decline in a single day. Ethereum (ETH) fell 6.2%, Solana (SOL) dropped 6.7%, and XRP declined 4%. The total crypto market capitalization evaporated by approximately $75 billion within one hour.
On-chain analyst Darkfost’s data shows that during the conflict, Bitcoin’s one-hour sell volume surged to about $1.8 billion, reflecting a flood of sell orders. CoinGlass data indicates that about $209 million worth of long positions were forcibly liquidated within an hour, with over 152,000 traders liquidated in the past 24 hours, totaling $515 million in liquidations.
Please note that sellers currently hold a clear advantage, and market risk aversion has intensified significantly. Bitcoin, as one of the few assets that can trade 24/7 with high liquidity, often becomes an outlet for capital to hedge during traditional market closures. Be cautious with leverage and risk management.
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