A confirmed US military strike on Iranian missile and drone facilities near Bandar Abbas has triggered a major explosion and a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
The port city of Bandar Abbas is located at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. US Central Command stated the strikes were a response to incidents involving commercial vessels in the area.
Financial markets reacted swiftly. Bitcoin slid below $73,000 as a risk-off sentiment swept through digital asset markets, causing broad declines across the cryptocurrency sector.
Simultaneously, the US Treasury seized approximately $450 million in Iranian digital assets. The action targeted cryptocurrency exchanges linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including a platform named Nobitex, demonstrating an increased US capability to track and freeze sanctioned crypto assets.