IXIC: Nasdaq Futures Plunge 2% as Israel Flares Up War Tensions After Attack on Iran

Iran vowed to retaliate in what could shape up as a wide-ranging conflict that threatens to shake the fabric of global peace efforts.

📉 Nasdaq Futures Plummet

• Futures on the Nasdaq Composite IXIC tumbled 2% early Friday, dragging the S&P 500 and Dow along with them, after news broke that Israel had launched a broad assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military leadership. The risk-off wave was swift, as traders scrambled to reposition for a possible long-term conflict.
• Dow futures plunged 700 points, while S&P 500 futures lost 1.8%, reflecting deep concern over how far this confrontation could escalate and what it might mean for global markets, oil prices, and geopolitical alliances.
• Markets have seen flare-ups before — but this one, with confirmed high-level casualties and open threats of retaliation, is testing investor nerves in a much bigger way.

💥 Israel Hits Deep into Iran

• According to early reports, Israel’s air assault hit multiple nuclear and military facilities overnight, and among the dead is the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a figure seen as critical to Iran’s regional operations.
• Israeli PM Netanyahu said in a recorded message that the campaign would continue “as many days as it takes,” signaling this was not a one-time strike but potentially the beginning of an extended operation.
• Iran has vowed retaliation, raising fears of broader regional warfare that could disrupt everything from global commodity flows to diplomatic relations between superpowers.

✈️ White House Keeps Distance

• The White House swiftly denied any involvement, issuing a late-night statement: “We are not involved in strikes against Iran.” The move aims to prevent further deterioration in US–Iran talks, which had already stalled.
• President Trump publicly broke with Netanyahu over the action, saying: “I think it would blow it,” referring to the fragile negotiation process with Tehran.
• With both diplomacy and deterrence now on shaky ground, investors are bracing for the ripple effects while safe havens like gold and the dollar are quickly back in focus. Gold prices rose more than 1% to a session high of $3,444 per ounce and the EUR/USD slipped half a percent a day after it shot above $1.16.