On Sunday, Iran retaliated against U.S. forces after the U.S. military struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Global Markets Slide On Iran Tensions
Late Sunday, Dow futures fell 75 points, or 0.14%, to 53,509.00, while S&P 500 futures declined 19.25 points, or 0.25%, to 7,702.75.
Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 98.25 points, or 0.33%, to 29,393.50 as of around 8:35 p.m. EDT.
In commodities, WTI crude oil rose 0.90% to $84.15 per barrel, while Brent crude advanced 1.08% to $89.05 per barrel. Natural gas futures fell 1.80% to $2.836 per MMBtu.
Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of currencies, stood at 99.615, down 0.06% as of around 6:16 a.m. IST.
Asian markets traded lower, with South Korea’s KOSPI falling 1.75% to 6,670.12, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.61% to 65,334.40.
Iran Retaliates After US Strikes Larak Island
U.S. forces struck two launchers after spotting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported, citing CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins.
The IRGC said it launched missile and drone strikes on two U.S. air bases in Jordan in retaliation for the U.S. attack on Larak Island, state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Jordanian authorities said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed eight missiles that entered the country’s airspace, with no reported casualties or property damage.
Sunday’s strikes marked the first U.S. attacks on Iranian targets since late July.
IRGC Calls US Strike On Larak Island ‘Deadly Mistake’
The IRGC had vowed retaliation earlier Sunday after accusing the “US-Zionist enemy” of striking Larak Island, saying the attack caused casualties among Iranian forces and civilians, the report noted.
In a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, an IRGC spokesperson called the strike a “strategic and deadly mistake” by the Trump administration.
Trump Warns Iran Over New Sea Mines
The renewed fighting has placed the Strait of Hormuz at the center of market concerns. The waterway is a critical global energy corridor, with roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments typically passing through it.
The Donald Trump administration has said CENTCOM cleared sea mines from international shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump warned Tuesday that any vessel laying new mines in the waterway would be “immediately and systematically destroyed.”
The latest strikes come as Washington and Tehran remain without active negotiations, while regional efforts to restore maritime traffic through the Strait continue.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock/ Below the Sky
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