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Israel is panicking over a possible retaliatory response from Iran after a strike in Syria which killed members of its Revolutionary Guards. «It has been a week that the Zionists are in complete panic and are on alert,» Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

Oil rose around 1% on Friday on geopolitical tensions in the Middle East but posted a weekly loss on a bearish world oil demand growth forecast from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and worries about slower U.S. interest rate cuts. Brent crude futures settled up 71 cents at $90.45 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 64 cents to $85.66.

The dollar index was on track to post its largest weekly percentage gain since September 2022. It was last up 0.7% at 106.02.

Regional tensions have intensified following Iran's warning of retaliation against Israel over an attack on its embassy in Damascus that resulted in the deaths of two Iranian generals. This development has heightened concerns about a potential escalation in the already volatile region, with countries like India, France, and Russia advising against travel to the area. Threat of Direct Iranian Attack on Israel Iran perceives the strike on its embassy as an attack on its territory, raising the possibility of a direct Iranian assault on Israel. This threat comes amid ongoing tensions over the war in Gaza, which has entered its seventh month.

Iran planning to attack Israel in next 24 hours? Here's what new report says On Friday, the US President said he expected Iran to attack Israel "sooner, rather than later". Biden also explicitly defended Israel by saying, "We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed".

Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden said simply, «Don't,» and he underscored Washington's commitment to defend Israel. «We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,» he said.

₹2.54 trillion on the NSE. While some experts said investors were spooked by concerns over escalation of the Middle East crisis, a delay in rate cuts by the US, and an amendment to the India-Mauritius tax treaty, others pooh-poohed these concerns and said the correction was expected and healthy. The sectors that saw the highest profit booking were banking, IT, infra, oil and gas, and pharma.

Middle East, where Iran has promised to retaliate for a suspected Israeli air strike on its embassy in Syria, which could risk disruptions to supply from the oil producing region. Brent crude futures climbed 34 cents, or 0.38%, to $90.08 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 44 cents, or 0.51%, to $85.45, at 0033 GMT.

Israel was on alert Thursday after its arch-foe Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals, and as the war against Hamas ground on in Gaza. Days after Israel strengthened its air defences and paused leave for combat units, the United States also warned of the risk of an attack by Iran or its allied groups at a time when Middle East tensions have soared. Iran is «threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel», US President Joe Biden said Wednesday, pledging «ironclad» support for its top regional ally despite diplomatic tensions over Israel's military conduct in Gaza.

MUMBAI : Rich and retail investors have turned bearish on index futures, the first time in nearly three months, indicating stocks trading at record levels may be close to a peak for now as tensions rise in West Asia. On Wednesday, when the Nifty kissed a fresh high of 22775.70 points, retail and high networth individual investors (HNIs) initiated cumulative bearish bets on these index futures contracts, showed data from NSE, which groups both under the 'Client' category. The category turned cumulative net sellers of 16,088 Nifty and Bank Nifty futures contracts, marking a shift 84 days after remaining net buyers of these contracts.

WASHINGTON—U.S. intelligence reports show that an attack on Israeli assets by Iran or its proxies could be imminent, U.S. officials said Wednesday, as the top American military commander for the Middle East headed to Israel to coordinate a response.

Israel's defence minister said on Sunday that the country was ready to handle any scenario after Iran threatened to retaliate for the killing of Iranian generals on April 1. An Iranian official said on Sunday that Israeli embassies were not safe, and a semi-official news agency published a graphic showing weapons that it said would be capable of striking Israel. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's office made the statement about preparedness after he held an «operational situation assessment» with senior military officers.

UNHRC adopts resolution over Gaza war, India among 13 countries to abstain The US is on high alert and is preparing for a “significant" response from Iran against Israeli or American targets in the region. Earlier this week, an Israeli airstrike hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing at least seven Iranians, including two generals. While Israel has repeatedly targeted Iran-linked assets in Syria over the past few months, this was the first time an attack struck an Iranian diplomatic building.

Qassem Suleimani with a drone strike in 2020. Israeli officials did not publicly claim responsibility for the strike (though in private they leave little doubt about their role). But they did argue that whoever bombed the embassy compound had a right to do so.

geopolitical tensions put a dent in risk sentiment, while traders were also cautious ahead of U.S. jobs data due later in the day. The threat of supply disruptions owing to a prolonged conflict in the Middle East kept Brent futures above $90 a barrel — a level not seen since last October. [O/R]

Oil prices extended gains on Wednesday as a larger than expected fall in U.S. crude inventories and escalating geopolitical tensions raised investor worries about tighter supplies. Brent futures for June delivery rose 20 cents, or 0.22%, to $89.12 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May climbed 17 cents, or about 0.2%, to $85.32 a barrel, at 0015 GMT.

Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war across the Middle East, trading attacks by land, sea, air and in cyberspace. Iran has largely used foreign proxies to strike Israeli interests, while targeted assassinations of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists have been a key part of Israel's strategy. Israel's strike in the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed three top Iranian commanders Monday was the most brazen attack in years, raising fears of a wider confrontation. That would be particularly dangerous in a region already in turmoil on multiple fronts, including Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, cross-border skirmishes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia against Western interests in the Red Sea. An escalation between Israel and Iran would also risk further entangling the United States, given the presence of U.S. troops in the region.

war mushrooming into a wider Middle East conflict rose on Sunday with the U.S. sending more military assets to the region as Israel pummelled Gaza anew and deadly clashes along its border with Lebanon intensified. Gaza's Health Ministry said 266 Palestinians, including 117 children, had been killed by Israeli air strikes in the past 24 hours in the enclave, to which Israel laid «total siege» after a deadly mass infiltration into Israel by Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7. In neighbouring Syria — where Hamas's main regional backer Iran has a military presence — Israeli missiles hit Damascus and Aleppo international airports early on Sunday, putting both out of service and killing two workers, Syrian state media said. Along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group has clashed with Israeli forces in support of Hamas in the deadliest escalation of frontier violence since an Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006. Hezbollah said four fighters were killed in heavy exchanges of fire on Sunday and another died of wounds sustained earlier, raising to 24 the number of its members killed since Oct. 7.

Israeli strikes on Sunday put out of service war-torn Syria's two main airports, state media reported citing a military source, with the transport ministry saying flights were re-routed to Latakia. While Israeli strikes have repeatedly caused the grounding of flights at the government-controlled airports in the capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo, it is the second time simultaneous strikes have hit the facilities since this month's conflict between Israel and Hamas began. «At around 5:25 am (0225 GMT), the Israeli enemy carried out… an air attack… targeting Damascus and Aleppo international airports, leading to the death of a civilian worker at Damascus airport and wounding another,» the military source said in the statement carried by state news agency SANA. «Material damage to the airports' runways put them out of service,» the statement added.

Aleppo, putting them out of action, Syrian state media said on Friday. Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) cited a military source to report that the missile strikes happened «simultaneously» at 13:50 (local time), causing material damage to the airstrips, which resulted in them being «out of service.» «The Israeli latest aggression comes in the framework of the occupation authorities' continued policy, based on aggression and violation of the international law and the UN convention,» Syrian foriegn Ministry said in a statement as cited by its state media agency. Israel has so far not commented on the strikes on the Syrian airports. Al Jazeera publication quoted Syrian television channel Sham FM as stating that Syrian air defences were activated in response to the attacks on both airports. Damascus and Aleppo airports not only handle civil aviation but also host military bases. Israel has in the past carried out strikes on targets in Syria, including its airports as part of operations believed to be aimed at disrupting Iranian supply lines, Al Jazeera reported. The attacks on the two Syrian airports come ahead of a planned visit by Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who on Thursday departed from Tehran for Baghdad and is scheduled to proceed to Syria and Lebanon later. Before his departure, Amirabdollahian addressed reporters in Tehran, stating that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is the primary source of crises in West Asia, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported. The Iranian minister, on his arrival in Beirut, said if the Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues, the war may open on «other fronts».

Syria's state television said Israel launched attacks on the main airports in the capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday. Local media channel Sham FM said Syrian air defences were launched in response to both attacks.