Bitcoin briefly drops below $100,000 after Iran strikes US bases in Kuwait

The cryptocurrency recovered above $102,000 after drone and missile attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rattled risk sentiment and prompted a broader market selloff.

BTC

Summary

Bitcoin briefly fell below $100,000 after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched drone and missile strikes on U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, a geopolitical shock that unsettled risk assets. The token later rebounded above $102,000 after touching roughly $99,500, indicating that the initial selloff eased as some traders bought the dip and others treated Bitcoin as a potential safe-haven trade. The IRGC said the strikes hit more than 18 sites as part of the 18th and 19th waves of “Operation Nasr 2,” targeted air defense systems and military logistics infrastructure, and would continue as retaliation for prior U.S. strikes on Iranian assets. Altcoins underperformed during the volatility, while broader equity markets also declined, underscoring how military escalation in the Gulf can spill into crypto through macro risk sentiment rather than any direct link to the conflict.

Terms & Concepts
  • risk assets: Investments that typically lose value when investors become more fearful or cautious.
  • safe-haven trade: A market move into assets perceived as relatively resilient during periods of stress.
  • Operation Nasr 2: The name used by the IRGC for its ongoing wave of attacks, which it says includes the strikes on U.S. installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.