Just now, tensions in the Middle East escalated!

This morning, Beijing time, the news of the Israeli attack on Iran made global assets "jittery", and the stock markets of Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam, which are trading, fell sharply. Us stock futures also plunged, with Nasdaq 100 index futures down more than 2% and S & P 500 index futures down 1%.Wsopplaytika.5%, Dow futures fell more than 1%.

Bitcoin also plummeted again, losing $60, 000 per piece in intraday trading, down more than 5 per cent on the day, falling below $2900 on the day and down 5.39 per cent on the day. Within an hour, the virtual money market burst more than $7 million, with more than 10, 000 people, mainly multiple single positions. Within 24 hours, more than 80, 000 people exploded, with a total value of more than $240 million.

Safe havens such as the dollar, gold and oil soared. At one point, the dollar index rose to 0.5%, spot gold once stood at 2410 US dollars per ounce; international oil prices soared, Brent crude broke 90 US dollars per barrel, up 3.7 per cent. WTI crude rose 4 per cent at one point.

Israel attacks multiple targets in Iran

In the early morning of April 19, Isfahan in central Iran, Suveda province in southern Syria, and Baghdad and Babylon provinces in Iraq were all reported.WsopplaytikaThere was an explosion. According to US media reports, the Israeli army launched military strikes against seven targets in Iran.

Subsequently, Iran's Fars news agency reported that an explosion was heard in the Kajwalestan region of Isfahan province in central Iran, near Isfahan International Airport and the base of the Iranian Air Force. The media quoted sources as saying that three explosions were heard near a military base in northwestern Isfahan, Iran, and the air defense system has been activated to intercept the target, which may be a drone. It is reported that radar may be one of the targets to be attacked. Iranian officials recently said that the explosion heard in Isfahan was the result of the activation of Iran's air defense system.

According to the latest news from Iranian state television, the sound of explosions in many places across Iran originated from the interception of suspected drone targets by Iranian air defense systems. The nuclear facility in Isfahan province is currently in a safe state.

Flight tracking website Flight Radar 24 showed that at least eight flights were diverted over Iran on the morning of the 19th local time. On the same day, Iran's Khomeini International Airport in Tehran announced the cancellation of flights before 10:30 Iran's aviation department announced that flights at many airports in Mehrabad, Isfahan, Shiraz and other places have also been suspended.

According to NBC reported on the 19th, for Israel's attack on targets in Iran, a person familiar with the matter said that Israel informed the United States in advance, but the United States did not participate in the Israeli operation.

The attack occurred after Israel vowed to respond to Iran's drone and missile attacks on the 13th night. Earlier, on April 1, the consular building of the Iranian Embassy in Syria was attacked by Israeli missiles, killing at least 13 people. Mohamed Reza Zahidi, the senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards in charge of operations in Syria and Lebanon, was killed. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard issued a statement in the early morning of the 14th, announcing that dozens of missiles and drones had been fired at Israeli targets, saying the move was in response to Israel's attack on the consular department of the Iranian embassy in Syria on April 1.

Global market tremors

News of the Israeli attack on Iran caused global capital markets to fluctuate sharply. As of press time, the Nikkei 225 index had fallen 3.3 per cent, down 10 per cent from its March high. South Korea's composite index fell 2.87 per cent, while Thailand's SET index, Manila index of the Philippines, Ho Chi Minh index of Vietnam and Jakarta composite index of Indonesia all fell more than 1 per cent. At one point, the MSCI Asian emerging markets index fell nearly 2.8%, but is now down 2.25%.

Us stock futures also plunged sharply in intraday trading, with Nasdaq 100 index futures down more than 2%, S & P 500 index futures down 1.5%, and Dow futures down more than 1%. As of press time, the decline had narrowed, with Nasdaq 100 index futures down 1.32%, S & P 500 index futures down 1.05%, and Dow futures down 0.93%.

Safe haven assets such as the dollar, gold and oil soared in intraday trading. At one point, the dollar index jumped 0.5%; spot gold rose 1.4% above US $2410 per ounce in intraday trading; Brent crude broke through US $90 per barrel, rising by 3.7% at one point and exceeding US $85 per barrel at one point. At present, Brent crude oil and WTI crude oil are still up more than 3 per cent.

In the A-share market this morning, the oil sector strengthened sharply, Bacon Energy, Heshun Oil, quasi-oil shares, potential Hengxin and other stocks rose by the daily limit, CNOOC rose more than 5%, and PetroChina rose more than 3%. The shipping plate also rose, Air China COSCO rose by more than 12%, Phoenix Shipping rose by the daily limit, China Merchants South Oil rose by more than 8%, Cosco, Ningbo Cosco and other companies rose by more than 7%, and Sheng Airlines shares rose by more than 5%.

Targeting Iran's nuclear facilities?

According to CCTV4, after Iran launched retaliatory air strikes against Israel, how Israel will make a "strong response" has become one of the most concerned topics in the international community. Netanyahu stressed on the 17th that Israel has the "right to self-defense." There are concerns that Iran's nuclear facilities may be targeted by the Israeli army.

According to ABC reported on the 17th, a number of Israeli sources said that Israel was ready to launch a strike against Iran at least two nights this week, but the operation was subsequently cancelled. Reported that since Iran launched a strike on Israel, Israel has been weighing how and when to respond to this. A series of options were presented to Israel's wartime cabinet. Israeli military spokesman Hagari said on the 16th local time that Israel will not be "indifferent" after being attacked by Iran, and Iran cannot "escape punishment."

Israel had previously warned that it would retaliate against Iran's nuclear facilities after an Iranian attack. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi also expressed "concern that Iran's nuclear facilities may be targeted by Israel."

According to the German newspaper Le Monde, Iran has 25 to 30 facilities that are used entirely or mainly for nuclear programs. Six of them are first-level targets: the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, the conversion plant in Isfahan, the heavy water reactor in Arak, the weapons and ammunition production facility in Parchin, the uranium enrichment facility in Fuldo and the light water reactor in Bushehr. Among them, the conversion plant in Isfahan, the weapons and ammunition production facilities in Parchin, the light water reactor in Bushehr and the heavy water reactor in Arak are mainly ground facilities, which are relatively easy to be destroyed by air strikes.

What is really regarded by Israel as an "eyesore" and intended to "completely erase" from the earth is the uranium enrichment facilities in Fuldo and Natanz, where thousands of centrifuges are considered essential for Iran to obtain weapons-grade nuclear materials. However, it is said that the production workshop of the Natanz nuclear facility is located in two halls 8 meters underground, and the top of the hall is reinforced with reinforced concrete several meters thick, while the Fuldo nuclear facility is located 90 meters underground and is difficult to be destroyed by air strikes. It is worth mentioning that since 2016, Iran's Smur300 long-range air defense system imported from Russia has also been deployed near the Fuldo nuclear facility.

A former Israeli Air Force commander admitted in an interview with British media that attacking Iran's nuclear facilities is Israel's option, but it is also difficult because of the large number and scattered distribution of Iran's nuclear facilities.

However, the latest news shows that the Israeli attack on Iran in the early morning of April 19 may not have targeted nuclear facilities. According to CNN, quoted by the Israel Times, a senior U.S. official said Israel had told the United States that its attacks did not target Iran's nuclear facilities.

Britain and the United States announce sanctions against Iran

According to Xinhua News Agency, the governments of Britain and the United States issued statements on the 18th, announcing sanctions against a number of individuals and entities in Iran in response to Iran's retaliatory strikes against Israel a few days ago.

The British government said in a statement that Britain imposed sanctions on seven individuals and six entities in Iran. The sanctions are a package coordinated with the US to further increase sanctions against key players in Iran's drone and missile industry and to "limit Iran's ability to destabilize the region". The sanctions include a travel ban and an assets freeze on relevant individuals and an asset freeze on relevant entities.

On the same day, the US Treasury issued a statement saying that the US government announced sanctions against 16 individuals and 2 entities involved in Iran's drone program, five companies involved in Iran's steel industry, and an Iranian car company, and imposed new export controls on Iran.

Us President Joe Biden said in a statement on the same day that the purpose of this round of sanctions is to hold Iran accountable for its recent attacks on Israel. The targets of sanctions include leaders and entities associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's Ministry of Defense, and the Iranian government's missile and drone programs.

Editor: Lin Gen