DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In a significant escalation, Iran launched over 100 drones towards Israeli territory on Friday morning in response to an Israeli missile strike that reportedly killed at least three prominent military leaders in Iran.
According to Effie Defrin, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, “We can now confirm that the Chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Commander of the IRGC, and the Commander of Iran’s Emergency Command were all eliminated in the Israeli strikes across Iran.”
Defrin noted that “Iran launched approximately 100 UAVs towards Israeli territory, which we are working to intercept.”
Meanwhile, Jordan’s state media reported that rocket sirens activated in northern Jordan as the nation successfully intercepted several Iranian drones over its airspace.
Israel’s assault, aimed at nuclear enrichment sites, occurred just days ahead of a scheduled round of nuclear negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials, marking the largest military operation against Iran since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
Following the strikes, oil prices experienced a notable spike; Brent crude rose as much as 13% before settling lower, while briefly exceeding $78 per barrel.
Global markets responded negatively, with declines evident in Asian and European stock indices as investors sought refuge in safer assets amid fears of an expanding conflict in a region that comprises one-third of global oil production. Dow futures plummeted by over 500 points by 8:21 a.m. London time.
Brent crude was trading at $72.76 per barrel at 8:23 a.m. in London, reflecting a 5% increase, while U.S. WTI stood at $71.27 per barrel, up 4.6%.
The evolving situation has drawn attention to potential responses from both Iran and the United States, particularly regarding U.S. involvement in the conflict. The U.S. State Department has distanced itself from the Israeli strikes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing them as unilateral actions and advising Iran against targeting U.S. interests or personnel in the region.
Iran, however, has taken a different stance; the foreign ministry issued a statement holding Washington accountable for the repercussions stemming from Israeli actions.
President Donald Trump is slated to participate in an 11 a.m. Eastern Time meeting of the National Security Council.
This is a developing story and will be updated shortly.
