The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran early Saturday, as President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations," vowing to decimate Tehran's military and fuel a change in government. The operation — named "Operation Epic Fury" by the US Department of Defense— marks arguably the most significant US military engagement since Iraq.
Explosions rocked Tehran and cities including Qom, Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Karaj. Among the targets was the district in Tehran where Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei normally resides, with seven missiles confirmed to strike the area.
Israel "assesses" that Khamenei was likely killed in the strike, with Channel 12 reporting "growing indications" from unnamed Israeli sources. There is no official confirmation.
CRYPTO WRECKED — $128B Gone in Minutes
#usisraelstrikeiran While stocks slept through the weekend, crypto took the full hit.
Bitcoin dropped as much as 3.8% to $63,038, before stabilizing around $64,000. Ether slid as much as 4.5% to $1,836. Roughly $128 billion in market value was erased across digital assets in the immediate aftermath.
Over $515 million in liquidations were triggered within 24 hours, pushing the crypto Fear & Greed Index back into EXTREME FEAR.
Over 154,000 traders were liquidated, with $449 million of those coming from long positions alone. The largest single wipeout was an $11.17 million BTC position.
The weekend sell-off underscores Bitcoin's role as one of the few large, liquid assets available to traders when geopolitical risks spike while stock and bond markets are closed.